||~Something About You~||#9 *COMPLETED* - Page 24

Arnav let out a sigh & cursed himself for the 100^th time in the last half-an-hour, for letting Rohan & Akaash practically drag him out in his casuals, at the sad affair of NK's over-hyped, but under-organized Bachelor's Party. He looked over at Rohan & Akaash sitting with similar disenchanted expressions on their faces on the low couches set on one side of the party deck. Arnav hid an inward sigh as he thought how his homecoming party was actually held in the same location of the Farm house & how it had been a major suck-fest; this Bachelors' Party seemed to be gradually following the similar fate too.

Due to the location of the party being inside the Farm house premises, where the elders of both Raizada & Gupta families were residing, NK had claimed he hadn't been able to plan the party with full liberty. He hadn't known how, not only Arnav, but also Akaash & Rohan, had thanked their lucky stars silently upon hearing this from him. So, much to NKs chagrin, whereas he had wanted to hire some high-end, celebrity DJ, he had had to hire Akaash's favorite band as per Manorama's suggestion, which was actually more of an instruction. Anjali had almost bit his head off when he had suggested some young Bollywood starlet or some item girl, or at the least, some young TV actresses should come to perform latest item songs for them. & Payal had instructed Akaash not to drink on the night before their wedding; as a result, Akaash had put a veto on the free flow of liquor. So, in the end, the pathetic affair that Arnav was now looking at was left. Some colleagues & friends of Rohan & Akaash who were invited on the wedding, had come & now they were getting bored on a dry party, as the band played on one after another latest Bollywood songs disinterestedly.

NK suddenly huffed in an invigorating manner, as if giving himself a mental pep talk, & then came forward in a last attempt to save his party. He started after coughing loud enough to attract the attentions of only Rohan, Akaash & Arnav, who were sitting in a close circle. "Listen, brothers! As you can see, this Kawwo Ka Jalsa (Crows' Party)-" & Akaash couldn't but stop himself from saying in a hurried gasp, "Arre, NK bhai! Kuwaro Ka Jalsa!(Bachelors' Party!)" NK looked warningly at Akaash, annoyed at him for interrupting his speech, & then continued in a generous way, "This Kawwo Ka Jalsa is not really the most fun party-" Again he was interrupted as Arnav, turning towards Rohan, said in a deliberately loud whisper, "& he only realized it a second back! How perceptive of him!" & before laughing out loud, Rohan good naturedly slapped Arnav's shoulder as if to appreciate his humor. This was the last straw for NK.

He threw his hands up to his ears & yelled in an exasperated voice, "It's not my fault that there are so many vetoes over the party here! No drinks! No dancers! No cool DJ with speakers that can literally turn you deaf! What was I to do, Akaash??" The other three men exchanged conceding looks as they silently agreed, NK had obviously had his work cut out for him. Then they again looked at NK as he said in a desperate voice, "Now I have to turn to my last resort. I didn't wanna do this, but I have no other options left.. I have to bring the naughty quotient up by myself." Saying this, he suddenly brought up the huge concealed hamper from below the low table infront of them, & removed its net lid.

The hamper was full of bright, neon colored female lingerie intermingling with various kinds of sex toys & numerous stacks of boxes of condoms sprinkled over them. As NK took in Akaash's jaw-dropping, Rohan's shocked & Arnav's pitying stares on himself, he said in a theatrically hushed but loud voice, "We all sit down, & then pass around the hamper, & the person who holds the hamper, closes his eyes, picks up any two items from the hamper.." Saying this, he closed his eyes to give visual demos to the now raptly attentive audience & then reaching out picked out two random items from the hamper. Then he opened his eyes to look at what he had picked out, & smiling satisfactorily, he indicated to one hand first, saying, "See on one hand I have this sinfully gorgeous purple G-string! So I'd have to tell you all, aloud, who I'd love to see wearing these in my fantasy. Easy for me, btw.. Cross breed of Katrina Kaif & Jennifer Lawrence!.. & then.." He indicated to his other hand & continued, "I have this stack of boxes of condoms. So I'd have to tell what I would do to the G-string wearing woman in my fantasy.. with the aid of these cond-"

"Shut up!!" The horrified yell came from a source NK had expected interruption from all along, but to his amazement Arnav looked more revolted by it all, than shocked which NK had assumed he'd actually be. NK looked at Arnav reproachfully, & said in a scornful voice, "Don't look so disgusted, Nannav! If anyone of was could actually regale stories from their memory using all of these, it's gotta be you-" But Arnav cut him off as he retorted in a contemptuous way, "You do realize who Rohan is getting married to?" NK looked at him in a disdainfully, & shrugged his shoulders in a casual way before saying patiently, "Again, Nannav.. This is all just for fun. No one would cheat on their to-be spouses.. You just indulge into talking about your fantasies for a night-" This time Arnav all but shouted loosing all of his patience, "Di!! Rohan is getting married to our sister, you fool! Do you want him to describe his fantasies, which will include Di as he can't possibly talk about other women infront of Di's brothers, so-" He had to stop as suddenly understanding dawned on NK & looking at the thong in his hands in a horrified way as if it was a Boa Python, he abruptly spasmed violently, giving out a shocked yelp, & threw the thong onto Akaash's lap.

Akaash picked up the thong using only his thumb & forefinger, looking at it appallingly too, then threw it onto Rohan's lap like it was contagious. Rohan in turn just laughed at his to-be-brother-in-law's comically horrified expressions & put the thong carelessly over the pile in the hamper. Just then Akaash looked up & suddenly as his eyes caught on something behind NK's over his shoulder, he became very much alert, & said in a dismayed whisper, "Di!" NK shook his head condemningly at Akaash at his callousness, & said sternly, "No! No one takes Di's name over here! It's creeping me out!" But before he said further, Arnav snatched the boxes of condoms still held up in NK's raised hands using quite unnecessary excessive force, & stuffing it in his back pocket quickly, he said through gritted teeth, "It's Di, you idiot!" NK now turned on him accusingly & said angrily, "No Di, Nannav! Come on, I think I'll never be able to look at a G-string now, because now every time I see it my sister's scowl will flood my memory-"

But this time, he was effectively silenced as Rohan stood up, came towards him & turned him around to show him the arrival of the three ladies at the party & whispered to him, "Its Anjali, NK!" & as NK looked on at Anjali & Payal coming towards them following a radiant looking Samiya, he heard a terrified Akaash whisper from his back, "The hamper!! The toys &all!.. Payal will kill me if Di doesn't kill all of us first!" & as they all looked at each other with rising degrees of panic & dread, just before Samiya reached them, NK backed a couple of steps & with a loud thump, sat down right over the hamper on the low table, & then he placed the cloth that was acting as the lid for the hamper earlier neatly over his lap, concealing everything below it.

& just as well, because, as soon as NK looked up from his covered lap, Samiya was standing almost upon him & she said to NK saucily, "Hope you don't mind, NK.. I know my invitation didn't say plus 1.. or 2.. But I couldn't just leave these 2 behind, going out of their minds wondering about what mischief you guys might be upto!" NK just adoringly looked up at her, his expression slowly relaxing & then he nodded his head as if in a dazed, indicating he agreed with whatever the girl in front of him wanted. After all, Samiya wasn't the only one who had fallen for someone one-sidedly in the Summer of 2007 & then had to watch his love fawn over another in silent heartbreak, was she? Then he came out of his trance as Anjali asked him mock-sternly, "So, you guys keeping it clean, na?" & before NK could start stammering something out in his confusing Hin-glish, Rohan quickly moved towards Anjali, & taking her hand in his, he slowly guided her towards the till then empty dance floor, saying for her ears only, "I believe this dance is mine. Our last one as bachelor & bachelorette!"

Samiya smiled at them, & then indicating to Akaash with her eyes to get Payal on the dance floor with him, she left them to go to the band, & asked them to play a romantic beat. The band didn't need to be told twice, as they started playing 'Tu hi mera' with great zeal & passion, while Samiya came back & NK didn't even give her a chance to step towards Arnav's direction, as he took her hand & steered her away towards the now dimly lit dance floor, leaving Arnav to get rid of his hamper & the questionable contents in it.

~~~~~

Payal stepped inside the circle of Akaash arms & smiled shyly at the enchanted look on Akaash's face that always took over him anytime they were this close to each other. She kept her hands over Akaash's shoulders & said in a secret way, "You know, Akaash, I always felt kinda sad for Amma.. She's so smitten with Babuji! & while Babuji absolutely loves her, he's smitten with us.. his kids. & Amma is just.. stil.. in awe of him & the magnanimous person that he is! & I always wished, that when I had a relationship, it'd have to be like.. we'd both be equally in awe of each other.. No one would be.. you know, more smitten with the other. It should be equal.." & then with a naughty smile at Akaash she quipped, "Or, he could be more smitten with me!" Akaash laughed at her hint & said as if in a pledge, "Don't worry, Pugs," calling her by the short form of her name, Payal Gupta, that he had himself abbreviated & by the name he always used to playfully call her when no one would be close enough to hear him, from when Payal had been 11, "I swear, I am more smitten with you! I mean, look at you! & look at me! Even you should be more smitten with yourself & not with me!. Look at you, no stubble or specs.. So love-struckable..!!" & then he gathered Payal closer to his body laughingly, who just rolled over his chest with the uncontrollable spurts of giggles that raked her body.

~~~~~

Anjali kept her head on Rohan's shoulder & sighed happily, & then she said wishfully, "Oh, I wish we had the time to go to that Gurdwara around here-" & Rohan immediately stopped her with a finger on her lips & said with a lop-sided grin, "Anju! What's the first rule?" Anjali looked up at him sheepishly, & drawled, "That if I talk about Mandirs or Poojas or Havans when we are alone, you could start talking about your clients, & accounts, & loan credentials & all!" Rohan chuckled as he asked her gently, "Do you wanna hear about my clients, & accounts, & loan credentials & all right now?" Anajli shook her head vehemently with a mock-horror expression on her face, "Not at all!" Rohan threw his head back & gave out a short laugh & then he said with a mock-stern expression too, "Ok, I won't bore you with my tedious accounts talks, if you ask.. seductively!" He saw Anjali's lips twitch in a pleasurable smile & a faint blush covered her cheeks as she looked up at him from under her lashes, & biting the corner of her lower lip, she asked in such an unbelievably & totally provocative tone that if her Nani or any of her brothers ever saw her speaking in this way, they would commit collective suicides due to the traumatic experience, "Please, Jaan?? Can we not talk about your accounts?? Actually can we not talk at all?" & she winked at Rohan for better effect.

Rohan gulped down difficultly through his suddenly sand-paper dry throat, & croaked out, "Come on, you can do better! I taught you better, Anju!" Anjali giggled in that cute way of her that made Rohan fall in love with her every time he saw it, & then she whispered to him, "You know what, everyone thinks you have the best & sweetest nickname for Khushi!.. They are so wrong!! They should be so lucky as to hear you calling me Anju the way you do!" & taking advantage of the suddenly darkened patch of the dance floor that they have chanced upon while dancing around slowly, Rohan swiftly bent his head, & took Anjali's smiling lips in an agonizingly slow & lingering kiss.

~~~~~~~

Arnav was sulking over the lack of booze in the party at that moment, as he could really use some. He had gone out right after the fiasco of the Mehendi function, driving his Audi in top speed around the Gurgaon highway. He had not known how he had ended up in HQ premises of AR Corps, but after sitting in the car on his secluded spot on the executive parking space for nearly half an hour, thinking about his mother, thinking about how none of his sister's pre-wedding functions seem to go without drama & chaos, & then remembering how the last time Anjali had adorned herself as a bride had turned out for them all, he had shuddered out of his limbo. He had again started driving off to the Farmhouse.. to Khushi. But his attempts at trying to get some accurate information about her had proven futile, as everyone had been busy with either the Bachelors' Party tonight or the wedding tomorrow. When he hadn't been able to take it anymore, & had decided that the morning's events were huge enough for him to be able to ask about Khushi's wellbeing without seeming out of the place, he had just outright asked Payal who had come around to instruct NK about what not to include in the Bachelors' Party, she had informed him, that Khushi seemed fine earlier, but then she had started making Jalebis, which was apparently code for trouble in Khushi's crazy world, but good news was, she hadn't cried or didn't even seem sad or upset by the morning's events.

That had finally given Arnav's jammed head some peace, but still he would have killed for a glimpse of her, which had seemed impossible with the wedding right on tomorrow. He hadn't even wanted to come to the Bachelors' Party, & had only let NK drag him out to the party place after NK had told him that he had invited Samiya & Khushi also. But again he had been disappointed when Rohan had told him, his Bachchi had chosen her beauty sleep for the big day tomorrow over the party. But now, as Arnav saw the couples milling around the dance floor, he started missing Khushi in earnest! & he wasn't really listening to the song playing on, until he caught on a word, which had lately meant the world to him. Khushi! Arnav listened on & tried to catch the words of the song.

Tu Hi Hai Kismat, Tu Hi Hai Rehmat
Tujhe Se Judi Hai, Meri Har Khushi
Tu Hi Mohabbat, Tu Hi Hai Rahat
Lagti Bhali Hai, Tere Sadgi

Pata Hoon Khud Ko Har Ghadi Tere Bina Tanha

Tu Hi Mera Mera Mera, Tu Hi Mera Mera Mera

Tu Hi Mera Mera Mera, Tu Hi Mera Mera Mera

To Arnav's credit, all he heard was, 'Khushi', 'Mohabbat', 'Rahat' & then 'Sadgi'. Khushi, love, relief, simplicity. Arnav decided the song definitely, undoubtedly, was about Khushi, & now, as even the band was playing songs about her; even wild horses couldn't stop him from reaching out to her. He hadn't tried to call or text Khushi all this while, as he was afraid if she sounded too upset, he would just blast everyone & march upto her in the Guesthouse, making an even bigger mess possibly, plus he was feeling more than a little guilty about smudging Mehendi all over her hands like that. But forgetting all that now, he got his phone out & typed out the one thing that had been on his mind since morning rapidly, "Tum theek ho?"

He didn't have to wait long, as within minutes, his phone bleeped, & the text read, "No." & Arnav clutched his phone so tightly that a little bit harder & it would have cracked, or any less hard & it would have fallen out of his hand. It had happened for the first time that, he had asked her that question & she had said no. He grabbed the phone with both his hands as he typed in express speed, "I want to see you." & then standing up, Arnav broke in a quick walk towards the direction of the Guesthouse.

He had already stepped down from the party deck & had stepped in the direction of the Guesthouse on the grassy ground of the farm, when he felt his phone buzz inside his fist, & slowing down a little, he held the phone up infront of his face to read the text. It said, "Come over." Arnav pocketed the phone swiftly & then broke in a fast jog towards the Guesthouse.

He went, & sat on the bed for a couple of seconds, looking at her for some sort of instruction on what to do next. But when nothing came from her, except a curious stare, he just laid down beside her, keeping his head on the pillow tentatively. & his eyes fell on her right hand laying palm upwards beside her head on the bed & the 'crappy' Mehendi work done by him on it.

Arnav gently slid his right hand over her palm, caressing the very dark smudge of Mehendi on his way, & then softly holding the hand in his own, he pulled it towards his lips, & kissed the Blackish Red patch of Mehendi on her hand lingeringly. & then raising remorseful eyes at her that spoke volumes, he said in a raspy voice, "I am sorry.. for this." He felt the hand inside his hold shake with a jerk & then Khushi said in a low voice, "It's alright. It's just Mehendi!" Arnav grabbed the hand tighter in both of his at her light voice, & said gruffly, "It's not alright, Khushi! & it's not just Mehendi. I saw how upset you were!" & Khushi saw how visibly contrite with himself he were, so she hurried to comfort him, "I was not- Ok, I was upset.. But it is alright. You're forgiven, Ok?" Arnav abruptly looked up at her from where he was pressing short, brief kisses over her hand, & said reproachfully, "You're much too easy on me!" & before he could finish, Khushi retorted just as hotly, "Because, you're much too hard on yourself! About almost everything!"