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Khushi entered class late and as expected, Prof DK had to shout at her. He later allowed her to enter the class and sit for the lecture. She came and sat next to Lavanya. Khushi noticed that Lavanya had a naughty smile on her face.
Lavanya was Khushi's only friend from India and from childhood. They shared everything with each other, be it clothes, shoes, secrets or moments. They both came to Canada to become doctors. Lavanya lived with her mami but as her mami was strict, she did not allow Khushi to live with them.
"What?" Khushi asked, seeing Lavanya's glimmering expression.
"Who's the guy?" Lavanya asked, her smile widening after every word. They both, as typical students, were talking to each other in mid of the lecture trying their best to hide from Prof.
"You saw?" Khushi asked. Her face showed feelings from shock to embarrassment.
"Yeah! You know, that's the advantage of sitting near the window. Khushi, you never told me you got a boyfriend."
"He's not my boyfriend or anything, Lav!"
"So a random stranger drops you to college where you are already late and plus in his SUV. And, he looked cute."
"How did you see him from here? He's my room mate."
"What? You got a place? You live with a guy? You asked your amma? Does Payal know? What's his name?"
"Steady with the questions, Lav. He's Arnav Singh Raizada. I finally got a place. I forgot to call you. Jiji knows. I don't think I can tell amma. She'll never allow me to. But if you see my new house you'll come to know why I decided to leave. Oh shit! That reminds me I had to call jiji."
"You have to make him meet me."
"Sure! I'm meeting him for lunch now. Join us."
"Nope! Harry is taking me out. Some time soon."
-x-
After class Khushi waited outside her college for Arnav. As promised she finished with her all her lectures and was deep thinking when she saw Arnav drive in. He stopped in front of Khushi and got out of his car and opened the door for Khushi.
"I'm sorry for being late. Actually, i was seeing my office so it took time." Said Arnav, looking tired.
"No problem." Khushi smiled.
Khushi seated herself comfortably and Arnav closed the door behind. He followed and sat next to her on the driver's seat. Khushi noticed that a lot of girls turned around when they saw ARnav. Seeing this, she felt a wave of pride on her.
"So where are we going?" Arnav asked.
"There's this China Gate for chinese specialties."
"Chinese? Yuck! How can any one eat it?"
"You don't like Chinese? Fine. What do you like?"
"Italian?"
"I don't like it. "
"Mexican?"
"Yuck!"
"Indian?"
"Bingo! There's this Delhi Hayat. We'll go there."
-x-
Arnav and Khushi entered Delhi Hayat and found themselves in an amicable yet elegant restaurant. The complete theme was Indian with pictures of Taj Mahal, India Gate, Gateway of India, Red Fort,etc. There were also mannequins of typical Indian ladies clad in ghagra-cholis welcoming the guests. The top was decorated with fairy lights and the complete atmosphere was quite dim which made wonders to the fairy lights. This restaurant played hindi songs for those who felt home-sick. They served only Indian food so there were mostly Indian-Canadian citizens.
Arnav strolled through the entire place and he could not deny that he loved it. He suddenly felt the urge of going back to India and his family. The pictures of Indian monuments reminded him of all the memories attached to his mother land.
Khushi saw Arnav who went down memory lane. She saw how he walked through the place like a small child who walks in an amusement park. She saw how he paused before every picture hanged on the wall and continued. The small faded smile of his, also, did not go unnoticed by her.
Khushi placed her palm on her shoulder and asked," You liked it?"
"I loved it." Arnav said, with a huge smile on his face.
"Lets sit?"
Arnav nodded. The waitress, dressed in a gorgeous chiffon saree, led them to an empty table. The table and chairs were quite antique and they looked like they were imported from India.
Before Khushi could say anything, Arnav said, "Thanks Khushi. For getting me here. It reminds me of my family. I miss them."
"You're welcome. We can come here anytime you want. I miss my family, too."
Arnav smiled.
Khushi continued, "Let's eat? My stomach is roaring." Arnav laughed at Khushi's childishness.
They ordered the most common and birth right of every Indian-pav bhaji! They ordered two to three extra pavs. Both of them ate like there was no food tomorrow. For some time, the great Arnav Singh Raizada actually forgot how he was sitting in a restaurant and eating like a hungry dog. But for that time, he did not bother for a second. Khushi, on the other hand, ate like a beast who was on diet for years! They ended their huge meal with a big glass of sweet lassi.
"Woa! I feet I ate after years." Arnav said, rolling his hand over his stomach.
"This is normal for me. Stay with me and you will realize." Khushi said.
"But that does not mean I will sleep on your lap." Arnav joked.
A ray of embarrassment and blush passed through Khushi's face. Pink, red, marron- any color you name was found on her face! She suddenly remembered that morning how he slept on her lap. Why am I feeling this? Why I didn't want to wake him up this morning? Why I loved the way he caught me tight and didn't allow me to move. Why I loved his feel on me?
Arnav twitched his fingers in front of Khushi's face.
"Why do you think to yourself so much? Does your brain not get tired?"
Khushi got out of her reverie. "My brain's very active." She smiled.
Khushi noticed that there was a small left over of lassi at the corner of Arnav's lips.
There's this lassi on you. Bolo ke nahi? Chuck. He should not feel something else. But I can't let any person walk next to me like that. JUst tell him.
"Arnav, there's something there." Khushi said, pointing to her own lips gesturing him the place of the left over.
"Where?" Arnav asked, moving his hands all over his lips and at the corners.
"Nope. At your left. The corner." Khushi tried to show him the place but he could not clean it.
"Uhh! You only clean it. Please!"
Khushi nodded and got up slightly to remove that left over. She caught hold of his chin and moved her thumb over his lips. She felt herself get lost over the sensation of his lips. She moved her thumb over the border of his lower lip and finally reached the corner. She moved her finger over the lassi and finally cleaned it properly. Even after cleaning it, she stood there looking at him in his eyes. Arnav, too, could not move his eyes from hers. Like their eyes were the unlike poles of a magnet.
The waiter suddenly came in between and broke their reverie. Khushi sat on the chair trying her best to look away from Arnav. Arnav, on the other hand, could not move his eyes off her.
"Sir, the bill." the waiter said and placed the bill on the table.
Just when Khushi was about to take the bill, Arnav snatched it from her hand.
"My treat."
"No! I got you here. And you are not my boyfriend to pay my bills."
"Then please pay all the bills of our house! Haha. Khushi, it's my treat. It's my way of saying sorry. Last time. Next time your treat."
"Fine."
Arnav paid the bill and both of them left to their place. The way to their house in the car went through silence. Khushi was in her thoughts thinking about the lassi incidence. While Arnav still felt Khushi's fingers over his lips.
-X-
"I'm sorry jiji. I slept off yesterday night. I though I'll call but then i forgot,"
"That's OK Khushi but you know why I called, no?"
"Yea, yea! I know everything regarding him. His name is Arnav Singh Raizada. Age 26. He has a fashion line and he is here for opening a new line. He lives at Delhi. He has a huge family back home. Di, naani, his brother Akash, mama, mami another brother NK who is in Sydney now. They have a huge business back home. He lost his parents in an accident when he was 8. Since then, his di is his only support system. She is married to a lawyer whose name is Shyam. And.."
"Oh wow! Ph.D kar diya, Khushi! That's all I want to know." Payal said.
:Jiji, you won't tell amma or bauji or buaji right? I really love this place. I don't want to leave this."
"Hmm. But promise me. You will tell me everything regarding him. your friendship. everything! Promise me!"
"Fine, jiji. I promise. Now I'll have to sleep. We'' talk later. Bye."
"Bye khushi."
" I really hope this friendship DOES change into something else.." Payal said after cutting the call.
-X-
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