Arhi: The Proposal ?? Part 9 page 97 NOTE pg 109 - Page 17

I have to do it, I can do it, do it Khushi, you can do it.

Closing her eyes, quickly throwing a prayer to her favorite deity ,she with reluctance picked up her black kurti when she heard a 'What the!!' and turned.

What the Freaking Ugly Cranky King!

Devi Maiya you don't love me right? She mentally screamed as she saw Arnav standing with almost dropping out pair of eyeballs.

Arnav Singh Raizada have had watched few romantic comedies to his friends' insistance with reluctance and he had observed the lead couple meeting each other in locations which were beauty personified. The locations were colourful, beautiful, shockingly stunning and he had sometimes wished himself to be in those lead guy's place, holding hands of his partner, sharing words and smiles amidst the beauty but life is not fiction and sometimes its harsher. Arnav to his shock was standing in Khushi's room which seemed struck by a tornado. There was nothing in place, the clothes lay on floor, table and bed taking its last breath, the books strewn over her bed and took most of the space. What shocked him the most was the dressing table also held books and the make up essentials were sided to one corner.

I am not organized

Arnav had heard Khushi's confession on not being organized and had heard both their mothers say time and again about her disorganization but he had no idea that the 'truth' was more dangerous than the heard words. She was horrifyingly disorganized. He proceeded to look at her and there she stood in her scorpion printed Bermuda and pink sleeveless tee with a kurti 'crushed' in her hand, looking at him as if seen a ghost. What a co-incidence!!

"Get out", he heard and his eyes rounded in shock.

"What?"

"I-I mean welcome", Khushi was shuttering and saw Arnav entering the room cautiously , avoiding probable topples. Khushi never in her weirdest dream imagined herself to be found out like this, that too by Arnav, her fourteen hour old boyfriend (?) . The stumped expression over his face told her how much this non-lady character of hers have shocked him.

"I-I am cleaning my room", she defended herself as the look on his face gave away his thoughts easily.

"I can definitely see that". Was it sarcasm in that tone? She wondered as he scanned through the room, probably comparing it with a garbage can.

"I-I..", she started again but stopped as he interrupted with a "y-you.. yes?"

Come-on Khushi this is the moment of that incredulous truth. Let's face the moment

A deep breath received her lungs as she closed her eyes, unaware of his prying eyes boring onto her. Arnav smirked inwardly as he saw Khushi close her eyes and scrunching them up in fear like a child who'd seen a ghost. The sight of the child lady in front of him was so mesmerizing that he kept his eyes fixed upon her. His trance broke as he heard, "Don't look at me like that"

An amused Arnav saw her pouting and opening her eyes. Can she get more adorable? He wondered as he swallowed down an 'Aww' which threatened to escape his lips. Guys! Don't 'aww' Arnav, buck up, he chided himself as Khushi continued.

"I had told you I am disorganized, messy and don't have the 'prim and proper' qualities like normal girls have. Now don't look at me like you had no idea of that. I can't keep my things properly, don't think that I don't try but I am not good at it. Now you must be think what 'afaat' you have tied yourself to right?"

Now where did that come from? Arnav raised that sinful right eyebrow in amusement and Khushi gulped and tried not getting affected. Keeping her 'Ian Somerhalder, Ian Somerhalder' chant on, in her mind she managed to speak, "What?"

"What are you worried of Khushi? That you are disorganized and messy or I happen to see you like this?"

Why is he smirking?

The insanely good looking smirk along with the question stumped her. He was right. She was never bothered about what people thought about her then why was she blabbering? And why is he smirking! Wait! Do I see a hidden smile there?

Arnav was enjoying this. Little flirting with his girlfriend(?) is harmless right? And he was loving the flustered expressions over her face. He hit the chords right.

"Khushi" she looked up. "Actually I came over to know your consent regarding something but you seem busy.. never mind."

"Hey don't leave", she bit out as she saw him almost turning his back. He faced her again.

"What did you want from me?"

"I wanted to ask you out for a lunch"

The crumpled kurta in her hand dropped over floor as she gaped at him like a fish. Date! Date! Date! Her mind screamed, shouted and howled at the same time her mom's threat of 'don't dare go out of the house without arranging your room properly' popped in her senses. Devi Maiya! She cried virtually in agony as no one knew better than her it would take her hours to arrange this tornado struck room, trust her organization skills!

"I-I am sorry.. can we go out some other day?"

"Well.." a small pause followed and Arnav finished what he wanted to say, "I am leaving tomorrow morning Khushi."

Her heartbeat quickened with the mere news and she had no idea why. All she could do was look at Arnav blankly whose expression mirrored hers. Never in her life had she thought the sentence, 'I am leaving', that too from Arnav could have created a hollow with a small prick over her heart.

"So soon?" the words flew out of her mouth without her knowledge and he heard her say , "I was here using my E.L. s remember? I had even left an important case behind to come home. I have to go. " A small silence prevailed in the room where no one had any idea on how to proceed the conversation.

"So ..bye?" he finally squeaked out and turned to leave not waiting for her answer. Arnav took his steps towards the door and Khushi churned her brain for any possible way to stop him by few minutes when it clicked her. Smiling widely she called out.

"Arnav?" he turned

"Have lunch with me?"

His eyes widened in shock as he heard her. It was unexpected.

"Are you sure? You want to go out?"

"No"

That was confusing, he frowned and she decided to explain.

"I.. I mean I cannot go out of the house right now, but can we have lunch together here?"

"Here? With you?"

Duffer!!

"Obviously with you. You are alone in your house, I am alone in my house, eventually we will be having lunch but alone in our house. So, isn't it better we have it here? But did you want to have something fancy? Then let's drop the idea as we have simple homemade food for lunch.."

Rajdhani Express has started herself, the thought itself brought a smile on his face and it made her stop.

"What?"

"Nothing. I love homemade food, will have lunch with you." The confirmation brought a small smile on her face. They had few hours more together and she wanted to use these hours to fullest. She glanced her wall clock.

"We still have an hour to lunch, please have a sit meanwhile I will arrange my stuffs."

Arnav chuckled picking up magazine from the floor and made his way in.

"Can you arrange stuffs within an hour?"

The mere thought made her gulp which he noticed.

"I will help you."

"What? No! its not needed Arnav, I am efficient enough to arrange my stuffs you see.."

She felt a hit with a rolled up magazine.

"Shut up Khushi" rolling his eyes he made his way towards her study table followed by a grumpy Khushi .

An hour later a wonderfully organized and cleaned up room was displaying itself to its glory. The books , dresses and makeup essentials in place. The blue green abstract printed bedspread perfectly arranged and teamed with green pillows, the side tables held her family picture and the reading lamp in correct position and the red bean bag held a skull shaped cushion. The room screamed Khushiness, little bit kiddish, slightly lady like and a pinch of gothic. She was one of her kind. Arnav was inspecting her room after helping her arrange it. To his amusement a fleeting thought of them arranging stuffs together henceforth near future passed him and he couldn't help but grin. This was the moment Khushi chose to enter the room and her breath caught her throat witnessing a gorgeous figure, gazing particularly nowhere with a grin plastered over his face. Arnav was a helpful and patient guy and did not flinch once observing her organization skills, she was grateful to him for being so understanding.

"Arnav?"

"hmm?" he turned to look at her and couldn't help but feel awed at the sight she made. Cleaning mess was definitely not her forte, her already unruly curly mass was almost out of the barrette and her flushed face was making her look more adorable.

"Let's have lunch, come lets go to the terrace."

"terrace?" he was surprised.

" Come." She smiled at him and he obliged following her.

The terrace of the Guptas always interested Arnav as it was the highlight of this house. Arnav, when small used to call it a double Decker terrace as a smaller terrace stood above the actual terrace and once you climbed the smaller but the highest terrace, you could literally see the whole city buzzing in front of you. It was one of Arnav's favorite place. The upper terrace was shaded though halfway, shielding a large two seated black wrought iron swing. Arnav was delighted to find that Khushi had arranged for lunch settling a cane table in front of that swing.

"I don't know if you like the arrangement but I thought of having lunch here with you." She bit her lip anticipating a positive answer.

"Khushi this is my favorite place of this house, how can I not love it?" she huffed inwardly in relief.

They seated themselves, adjacent to each other over the swing and took their plates in hand.

"If I had known before I could have asked to make few nicer items" she explained as he spooned some dal over his plate.

"Why? Cant I have these food?" he served dal to her too.

"No you can, but you are.."

"not a guest." He announced and dug in his dal and rice happily.

Khushi watched Arnav as he closed his eyes savoring the plain dal , rice and the simple mixed vegetable, their menu for lunch. He looked like a child, making sounds and chewing his morsels, he seemed to enjoy the food.

"I would give all my assets and properties to you for letting me have these home made food."

"Really?" she asked suddenly realizing that both of them are not fortunate enough to have homemade food regularly, blame their jobs.

"Really!" he affirmed engrossed in his food and continued, "don't worry Khushi after we get married my assets and properties will be yours anyway"

A sound of spoon clanking on the plate made Arnav realize what was out of his mouth. He turned to look at Khushi who was in turn concentrating over a boiled carrot.

This is embarrassing!

Arnav cursed himself and cleared his throat. Rajdhani Express' presence effecting his speech too, he inferred and chose his words carefully.

"thoda curry?"

"Yes of course." Khushi shuttered as she served him mixed vegetable hastily.

The rest of the lunch went on silently and soon the plates were lying on the table, clean like never used.

Cleaning themselves off using the terrace tap they stood adjacent to each other in same position like they were standing the previous day. They searched for words as they gazed out watching the concrete jungle in front of them.

"I wake up at 6:30 a.m." Arnav turned towards her "Go out for a jog and come back by 7:30", his eyebrows furrowed in confusion, " I hardly go out of house if I am here but if I am there in Bangalore I have to reach my college by 8:30, therefore the next one hour from 7:30 to8:30 is very crucial for me, nahao, lunch banao aur apple khate khate college jao.. well its walking distance so it hardly takes me seven minutes to reach their."

Has she gone mad? He wondered and Khushi kept on continuing.

"College is hectic.. I have to take five hours of classes most of the days but I am done by 5:30 p.m. , if there is no Teacher's meeting."

"Khushi why are you saying all these things to me?"

"I am informing you of my schedule."

"I am aware of that by why?" Khushi looked at him unbelievably. The clueless look over his eyes told him he is totally unaware of why he was being informed of her schedule. Therefore Khushi's permanent companion, her temper who made its presence when she got impatient came into view. She pushed Arnav.

"Hey!" he was dumbfounded.

"I am having second thoughts Khushi", she mimicked him with an addition of her flaring anger. " Let us give us a chance.. One year?" she hit him again. "What are you planning to do rest of the year? You don't stay in Bangalore, I don't stay in Mumbai and we definitely don't stay in our home. You roam here and there, today Indore, tomorrow Ranchi due to your job . how are you and me are going to give us a chance? Did you think about it? You did not but I did, and therefore I was informing you of my schedule so that you know when I am free. I also expected the same from you so that we could talk when we are free and you.."

"Rajdhani..shhh!!!" she halted and yelped as Arnav finally pulled her by her waist towards him. Her eyes were leveled to his which emitted warmth, too much for her to handle. Her throat felt parched with thirst.

"Rajdhani??" she asked

"Boht bolti ho" he commented and she looked down. "but you are right." Which made her look up.

"So tell me?"

"what?"

"your schedule?"

"huh?"

"you complete your schedule then I'll tell you mine."

She smiled.. he too.

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