||~Something About You~||#6 *COMPLETED* - Page 14

Khushi seized handful of materials from her lehenga on the side as she started running down the stairs to the main hall of her home in her rush to see whether Arnav had held up his end of the bargain or not. The banisters of the staircase were adorned with snaking flower garlands & glass streamers, & while Khushi almost flowed down the stairs in her excitement over the whole function & the anticipation to see Arnav. As soon as she stepped down on the landing, she heard her Amma telling Anjali to go upstairs & wait with Payal in her room until they were called down after Panditji finished the pre-engagement pooja. & then she immediately heard Arnav's voice telling no one particular that he'd help Anjali up the stairs. & before Khushi could prepare herself for the onslaught of sheer male gorgeousness, she saw a positively radiant Anjali wearing a heavenly pretty glittery-Purple chiffon lehenga, & behind her, supporting her by holding on to her elbow, was a stunningly different looking Arnav Singh Raizada in the simple white, elegant Kurta-Pajama that Garima had picked out for him.

& as Khushi just stared at him with round & wide eyes, that's the thought that kept revolving around her head, that how different he looked than she had ever seen him look. He looked breathtakingly gorgeous on a day-to-day basis, at least to her, he did. But today he looked.. like.. like the prince that kept giving his glimpses to Khushi time to time from the devilish outer appearance he kept flaunting on everyone's faces. His face seemed to glow with some inner happiness as Khushi had never witnessed before as she saw him almost smiling at Anjali as Anjali kept her hand over his on her elbow. His eyes seemed to be that melted shade of caramel that Khushi had last seen on the night of their date. & before she could ogle his toned shoulders & subtly bulging biceps faintly outlined through the soft material of the Kurta, Anajli looked up to see Khushi, & she shrieked in a gleeful manner, "Khushi?!! Wow!! You look so pretty!!! & I was so worried about your outfits.. but you look absolutely beautiful!"

Khushi laughed throwing her head back at Anjali's gushing praises & then she twirled like a ballerina to show off the beautiful stone-work on the border of her lehenga & the skirt swirled around her legs prettily. The overall effect she created with the Golden-hued nude colored outfit, her glowing ivory skin with no jewelries marring the unblemished beauty of it, was quite dazzling. & then before she could look up at the still-silent figure beside Anajli, Anjali grabbed her arm, took a few faltering steps back & before Khushi knew what she was doing, Anjali pushed her to stand close beside Arnav & exclaimed wondrously, "Look at that!! The last two persons I ever thought I'd see wearing full-on traditional! & don't you both just pull it off perfectly?? Thank God for this double wedding.. although I still don't know why Chhote agreed to wear a Pajama.. but still.. Khushi! Let me ward evil eyes off you, I have already warded them off Chhote!" Saying this, she abruptly wiped a little kohl from her right eye to the ring finger of her right hand & smudged the kohl from her finger onto the patch of skin behind Khushi's left ear, & then she stepped away to again admire the perfect picture presented in front of her.

Again giggling at Anjali's overwhelming appreciation, Khushi looked up at Arnav for some sign that he too was getting uncomfortable with his sister's gushing, but as soon as she looked up at his eyes, she froze. Her breath caught in her throat at the ferocious & accusingly angry glare she received from Arnav. & then forgetting the presence of Anajli, Khushi scrunched her eyes & shook her head in a confused manner while her eyes asked her what was the matter with him. Arnav just glared at her some more & than turned his head away in a decisive manner to look at Anjali, who was busy with the drapes of her lehenga which had gotten tangled around her braced foot, & then stepping forward, he took Anjali's elbow again & after Anjali set the drapes right, he slowly led her up the stairs towards Payal's room.

Khushi stood rooted to her place for a while, utterly confused, not knowing what to make of his angry stint. Then when she heard Anjali calling her midway up the stairs, she shook the chill, which had seemed to spread around her form due to his fierce glare, away & holding the sides of her lehenga up with her fists, she slowly followed the brother-sister duo up. Once on the second floor landing, Khushi stood by the door of her own bedroom, not going immediately to where Anjali was knocking on the locked door of Payal's room & Arnav was patiently waiting beside her. Then the door was opened & Anjali slowly went in, & sighing heavily at how different things were turning up to be than how she had thought they would be, Khushi started walking towards Payal room to also go inside. But before she had even taken 3 steps away from her bedroom, she saw Arnav starting to march angrily towards her, & when he reached her, he took her elbow in an unnecessarily painful grip & dragged her inside her own room behind him.

Once inside the room, he pulled Khushi up & in a swirl of her arm, made her stand directly in front him, & then he just blasted right on her face, "What the f**k, Khushi?? What are you trying to do? Why.. Why-? Why can't you ever do what you're told for once? Once! What's this, huh?" He pulled his lips back over his teeth in his anger & snarled at her like a true monster. Khushi shook her head a little confusedly as she truly didn't get where he was coming from, but even through the cloud of confusion, she felt the waves of anger within her slowly rising at his outrageous shouts, & she asked in a shocked whisper, "What are you on about??.. First of all, I did exactly what you asked me to do! I wore what you wanted me to wear. & secondly, I don't like the impression a bit, that someone might think, that they have any right whatsoever to tell me what to do & what to wear!" Arnav took a threatening step forward & raised his index finger up at Khushi's face in a warning gesture, "Don't try to diffuse the point by taking the 'I am so angry & righteous' mode, Khushi!" Khushi's mouth fell open at the injustice of his accusation, & she spluttered, "Oh, no! That mode is only for you, patented by you, right? & you tell me, what the point here exactly is?? Cos all I know is that, I did exactly as I was requested to do & then I became the subject of mean glares & rude gestures & hurtful shouts!"

She saw Arnav's eyes quickly travel to the place on her arm where he had grabbed her as if to check whether he had truly hurt her seriously or not, & then he took a deep breath in to calm himself down a bit. Then he said slowly, biting out each word forcefully, "When I specifically asked you not to give the outfits to your tailor for altercation, why didn't you listen to me?.. Now see what he has done! You call that a blouse?? It's barely there!! With that color & your skin, you're practically half-naked, Khushi!" Khushi's mouth now fell open so wide that she was sure she'd be able to fit a cricket ball through it, & then she quickly got her bearing back as quick temper came to her rescue, & she almost screamed at him, "My tailor?? He hasn't done anything!! It's you! This outfit came to me exactly as you're seeing it now!! Not a stitch on it was repaired, samjhe aap?? & that's what I had been trying to tell you for so long, that the blouses exist in name only!! Why couldn't you listen to me?" Arnav looked at her disbelievingly, clearly doubting her words, & then he voiced so, "But it can't be! I.." he looked with narrowed-eyed concentration at Khushi's breasts & said dubiously, "I had the measurements right.." But at the same time, a little voice in his head said, he mightn't have had the measurements so right after all, as he hadn't even touched the breasts in question until the Shagun, which was after he had altered the outfits.

Khushi saw the doubt in his eyes & she seized the opportunity to say nastily, "Now why are you throwing a hussy fit? I told you, but no! Why will the mighty ASR listen to-" She broke off as she saw Arnav rapidly step in towards her, & then swiftly gathering her Dupatta up from the way it was draped down the front of her whole torso, he bunched it up around his eyes scanned up & down her torso a couple of times, then he mumbled something about 'Too much midriff.." & then without any warning, he just forcefully started tugging down at the miniscule blouse, after hooking his thumb & forefinger inside the lower seam of her blouse. Khushi gasped in a shocked & outraged yelp & then pressed one hand protectively over her cleavage, while slapped at his offending hands with her other hand. & when his hands fell away, & he looked up at her confusedly at her outraged behavior, Khushi almost shouted, "I was about to spill out from the top!" She saw Arnav immediately averted his eyes when he got the true ramifications of his action & then he looked up, seeming to say something, but then decided against it. But then he again looked at her torso, & said in a desperate tone, "But- Then.. should I tug it upwards?" He sounded almost hopeful & Khushi instantly retorted while taking a few steps back from him, "Not if you want me to flash the lower half of my boobs through the whole evening!"

At her answer, Arnav looked about ready to pull out his own hair, & he said in a desperate voice, "This is a disaster! You should've told me it was like this before!" Then he squinted at her breasts again & Khushi couldn't believe her ears, when she heard him ask franticly, "Are you sure you haven't suddenly grown up around.. you know.. around.. your-" Khushi cut off his stammering attempts as she asked him incredulously, "My boobs?? Which you don't feel this embarrassed about while touching them?!.. & they're not my hair that they'll grow still now- Unless! Unless you're calling me fat now? If you are-" Arnav immediately held his hand up in a 'hold on' gesture & said with the first sign of patience he had shown that night, "I am not calling you anything.. & I am not even complaining that you're.. a bit more well endowed.. than I thought by just looking.. As if anyone would believe me if I did complain about this.." & unsure of what to say next, he just looked at Khushi distressedly, & saw Khushi thawing a bit towards him after his attempts at tugging her blouse down. She let out a sigh, fixed her Dupatta with great care down her front & said in a reassuring voice, "Don't worry. I'll keep the Dupatta down the front, like this-" But Arnav passionately cut her off this time as he came forward & cupped her left cheek, "Red! That Dupatta is transparent like anything! & I have seen how many people were there outside in the marquee. & they'll all ogle at you! & I don't want them to.. I mean, not me, but you wouldn't want them to see you like this, right?"

Khushi looked at his genuinely distressed face & she conceded as she kept her hand over his own over her cheek & said calmly, "It's OK! Even my friends have worn skimpy Cholis! So don't worry, no one will pay me any special attentions! & other than that, the dress is absolutely gorgeous!" Arnav looked at her with a still sulky face, & grumbled out, "Even then, we need precautions! Be sure to keep someone, anyone, your family, friends or for that matter me around you.. no, in front you!.. Yes! In front of you while you talk to some guy or something, OK?" Khushi looked at his face with an incredulous expression on her face for some seconds & then wrapping her arms around Arnav's neck, she pressed herself to his chest & gave into spurts of giggles. As she felt Arnav's arms also tightening around her, she whispered to him, "& people call me crazy!!"

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One & a half hours later

Khushi took the big thaal of sweets from Buaji & brushing off the clinging shredded petals of flower from her palms, she made her way towards the 2 happy couple, who had just finished the ring exchange ceremony. Khushi fed Rohan-Anjali the sweets first, where Rohan pulled her in for a lengthy, tight hug, & then feeling that her eyes were filling up with tears, she shook her head & pulled away from Rohan & with a smile proceeded towards Payal-Akaash, where Akaash greeted her with a huge grin. But before Khushi could feed Akaash the sweets, she heard a distinct male voice behind her say, "Di, the photographer wants you guys' photos with the other remaining siblings. That means Khushi & me. So, come on everyone.. Gather around."

Anjali looked incredulously at her brother & exclaimed with a happy & surprise squeal, "Chhote!! You will take photos today?? & that too of your own accord?? & that too in a family function & not for some newspaper or magazine photo op??" Arnav dismissed her incredulity with an embarrassed shake of his head, & said to Akaash, "Come, I want a picture with both the couples!" & when Payal-Akaash came, the professional photographers hired for the weddings instructed both the couples to stand on either side of Arnav & clicked away taking multiple shots in a flurry of flashes. When the photos were taking, one of the photographers, who Arnav had noticed taking quite a keen interest in taking portrait shots of Khushi from the moment the she had entered the marquee, asked Khushi to join the group too.

Khushi came readily & stood beside Payal, which made her the right-most person of the setting. But no sooner had she stood there, that she heard Arnav's annoyed growl, "Can't you do anything properly? You're ruining the whole setting!" Anjali immediately clutched at his elbow & whispered admonishingly, "Be nice, Chhote!" But Khushi had already moved a bit away from the group, & now standing on her spot unsurely she was glaring at Arnav, equally matching the fire in his own eyes. Rohan called her up readily with an arm stretched out towards her, "Bachchi? Come stand by me!" But before Khushi could comply, Arnav again snapped, "Rohan, how would that be any different than before?"

Seeing the atmosphere was getting rapidly uncomfortable, Payal suggested in a rush, that both Arnav & Khushi should stand at the far corners, but Arnav shot her proposal down by saying, he wanted to be close to both his sister & his brother! Finally, one of the photographers asked in a mighty annoying voice, that Khushi could just stand between Arnav & Akaash in the middle, if she had no problem with it, & that way the couples won't be separated, the setting would be symmetrical, & Arnav would be closer to both his darling sister & bother. Arnav heard the sarcastic note in the photographer's voice, & then growled out, "It'll do!" & to avoid any further drama, Akaash promptly reached for Khushi & gently pulled her stand between him & Arnav. As soon as all of them were in place, the photographers started shouting out to the brides for looks & smiles, & amidst all the shouts, Khushi furiously whispered sideways to Arnav, "What the hell were you trying to do."

Arnav looked down at her with a mock-innocent expression, & then seeing it was infuriating her further, he said out of the corner of his mouth as he looked away, "You complained, I refused to be in the same frame with you when we were younger?" Khushi blinked confusedly as she couldn't promptly remember what he was referring to, but he just continued, "I wish, I hadn't done a lot of the things I did when I was a foolish teenager. & most of all I wish, I hadn't spent so much time & energy on deliberately trying to ignore you back then. Anyways.." He again looked down at her with eyes that twinkled like the brightest stars, "When you get this snap, put this one up on that collage in your room. Now smile for cameras, I want this picture to kick ass of all the picture on that board!" But as he looked ahead again at the cameras, instead of looking ahead too, Khushi just looked up at his profile, her eyes mesmerized & amazed as she looked in awe at this enigma called Arnav Singh Raizada.

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As Khushi again looked down at the ring, she felt like it was a tight slap in her face. It essentially symbolized everything that was this nameless relationship between them. They agreed they liked each other, she admitted to herself she loved him, they had embarked on a 'no strings attached' journey, & she had no intention of backing out of it. It was like if they just wanted, if Arnav didn't just have those weird hang-ups about relationships & marriages, they would be able to give so many beautiful & wonderful names to this relationship.. Love! Marriage! Commitment! Undying promise! But despite having the potential of all of that, she knew this relationship was forever doomed to secret rendezvous & stigma if it ever came out as he wasn't gonna dignify this relationship or her with any kind of commitments.

& similarly, this ring had all the potentials too, if it was given to her out of love, as a promise. A promise that would come out of his heart, & when the ring was put on her ring finger, the vein from that finger would carry the promise all the way to her heart. But no, for the exact same reason, this ring too was just a meaningless secret present, which just brought with it unanswered questions & a constant reminder of all that she could never have for Khushi. It could have been everything, but the way it was given & under the circumstances it was given, it meant less than nothing. Khushi took several steps back from Arnav & looking up at him with stormy eyes, & with a determination to just hurt him somehow, as much as he had hurt her, she asked in a steely voice, "So this is in return for my generosity?.. Ok.. Um, so please answer my question, cos I know, you of all people would know the answer to it accurately, what is that woman called, who provides her generous affections to men & then accepts generous 'thank you's from them in return of her generosity?"