ARHI... Destinado A Amarte Ch 7 (48) - Page 10

Chapter 3

Inhaling deeply, she held her Nikon and set her lens. The sound smoothed her nerves as shades of colors adored her view. She liked this beach. Though she preferred the one back at home, the place was going to be her home for coming years and Khushi was glad Payal stayed at a beach area. The place was just breathtaking. "I wish I can stay here all my life," she whispered, clicking another photo and turned to yet another direction to find a young couple walking towards her from a distance, the woman had her arms around his as his palms stayed in his pockets. The man lowered his head, watching his steps, while the woman speaking to him with a cheerful smile. Pointing at them, Khushi captured their image with a smile, adoring their moment.

"Capturing people's images without their permission is a crime here, dear," Sid warned yet again, not wanting to have a scene, "you have to ask them to do so. Children are okay but couples?"

The beach was empty with few people here and there. After their small lunch welcome party, she insisted to have a visit to the beach and as a gentle man, Sid bowed his head to her wishes. Running to him, Khushi hugged him for a while and smiled, shaking her head. "Come on, Sid. It is just a photo and I do know, doing such thing is not a decent thing but they look great together with ease and I don't want to spoil their moment nor disappoint myself for not having such moment captured."

"My biggest mistake is to encourage you with this present, Khushi."

Khushi laughed at him but thanked again. "This is the best gift I have ever received. Sid, I am so in love with you now. I don't mind to marry you too, but I think it is not wise to marry you just because you got me this camera. So, let's drop this who knows whom more and enjoy our time here." Suggesting, she returned to click few more photos that included the waves, sand shore, and crowd at a distance.

Satisfying with her handwork, she checked her photos while walking back to the car with Sid holding her arm, her eyes stopped at the couple photo. Zooming, she watched carefully the way the woman held the man and the way he lowered his head. It was a perfect intimate moment and Khushi felt there was something missing in him. The woman was happy, she could say, but the man was not. Zooming further, she focused on the man. There was a small smile but not that one she was used to have people around her. The man had something in him that intrigued her. He was couple of years older to her. His grey t hung in comfortable loose but not too tight to stick to his body. His biceps peeping out of the t in harmony with his hair that ruffled with the wind. What captured her attention were his eyes that looked back at her. She had not noticed while capturing the image but now, as she watched the photo, she could tell that the man raised his head a little, just to let his eyes fall on the camera, as if he sensed it. she looked at his direction over her shoulder and found the man staring at her with a frown. Khushi stumbled on her step and grabbed Sid's arm, who held her in place. "Are you okay?" he asked and nodding at him, Khushi settled herself on the passenger's door. With one last look at the man, who was still gazing at her, Khushi let out a sigh of relief when the car zoomed out of the beach, leaving the mysterious man behind her.

"So," Sid's voice broke her trance and she looked at him, "what is the reason, Khushi? I know you more than you know yourself."

Sighing, she closed her eyes. She wondered how Sid always managed to read her inner thoughts accurately. She thought that he might be a mind reader or any mythical character with special powers when they first met. When she voiced the same, he laughed at her theory but asked her about him being her angel guardian. "You said that I have no idea what life is due to my parents treating me as a princess all the time," she informed him, "I think you are right, Sid. No one treats me the way I want them to. I mean, I like being a princess but I want them to respect my decisions too. I know what is good for me and I want to explore world in the way you did in your life. Staying with Payal is not the reason but wanting to be a free bird is the sole reason."

"Then I must say, you are a free bird now," Sid said, squeezing her hand, "I will show you what life is, dear. Just remember that your decisions can make or break your life so, think carefully before having any step. I am with you."

Arnav stared at himself in the mirror and decided against shaving his stubble. After have a long walk with Sophia, he reached the garage, had some work done on the cars that had to be delivered the next day. Instead, he had a shower and got ready to pick his sister from her office. On his way, his mind went back to the girl who had managed to occupy his mind for the good part from late noon. He watched her with her camera shooting everything and anything around her. He watched her for a while before turning his attention to Sophia who had been trying to set his mood from the rejection letter. It was hard not to think about the letters. He had not expected that the girl would have them captured. He felt a gaze on their talks and when raised his head, he saw the girl pointing her camera at him. The girl was oblivious to his notice.

He watched the girl walking away with the man, checking her handwork and looked his direction. The girl was pretty, he thought with a smile, and the way she stared at him over her shoulder was priceless. He wanted to go and demand for an answer for having his photograph without his permission but he let it go as he saw the excitement in her eyes. if there was anything that he knew was that the artist look when he found the thing that held his attention. Wasn't he a struggling writer not to understand that excitement in the girl's eyes? Wasn't his sister a great photographer who had the same kind of look whenever she had her baby camera in her hands?

Ana was waiting for him near the gate and he hugged her. "Am I late?" he asked while kissing her forehead while she shook her head, handing her bag to him. She was tired, he could see, and felt guilt waves radiated within him. He was not able to provide anything to his sister while she was working hard. "Let's get our dinner, Ana," he announced with a grin, making her laugh.

"Actually, we have to wait for dinner, mechanic," she shrugged when the car halted in front of them. Arnav saw the man who smiled at them and looked at Ana in question when she frowned and whispered, "Arnav, editor called a while ago. He wants to cover a party the Mehra's threw for his son's arrival or something and the boy had an emergency in last minute. Be nice with Sohail, he is a great guy."

"Nice guy who has feelings for my sister," Arnav hissed back, "Ana, I know how he looks at you. now, don't argue with me by pulling Aman in this matter. He is my friend, I know him well, and this Sohail, I cannot trust him as you do. When you have nothing for this man, why do you agree to work with him?"

Sighing, Ana shook her head with a frown. "I don't care what Sohail has for me, Arnav. I have nothing to do with him and trust me, he is really a nice guy, not dangerous types. Moreover, I love this job. I don't want to disappoint editor who liked my work in this level."

Arnav didn't want to fight with her over the issue and let it go for the moment. He wished the man and thought about Ana as they made the way towards the party. Ana was a freelance photographer and her works were published in a magazine in a weekly basis. Sohail was a reporter in the house and he always made sure to have Ana with him whenever he had any interviews to do or whenever their regular photographer was unavailable. Arnav made sure he always accompanied his sister with the schedules she had with that man. The ride was short with the man explaining regarding his interview with the family and his inputs on the photos, which would go along with his article.

"I will just take an hour's time," Ana whispered as they followed Sohail in the venue, "are you mad at me?"

With a smile, Arnav shook his head. "No dear," he said, his eyes bored into hers, "I just am worried about my sister. I will stay here, you carry on with work, okay?"

Arnav watched Ana move towards the crowd, setting her lens and focused on her job. With a heavy sigh, he turned around to go back to the parking where Ana would meet him but stopped to see the same girl from the beach, along with the man, walking towards his direction.

"Come on, Sid, Raj will kill me for being late…"

The girl stopped midway as her eyes widened at him and Arnav knew, the girl remembered him.

***~***~***~***~***~***