Differences Between Us :: Arshi FF [COMPLETED] - Page 56

"What?" he groaned.

Khushi giggled helplessly, leaning back on her father's desk. "Kuchh nahin... Hum to sirf aapke saath mazaak kar rahe the, aur aap..." (Nothing... I was just pulling your leg, and you...)

Her words faded in the laughter she could hardly control. He scowled down at her, but she knew he was not angry. Arnav pulled her hard against him, his eyes dark and trouble.

"Please, Khushi. Say yes and end my misery." She pouted her lips at him and he sighed. "I'll get down on my knees if you want but say yes. Please," he leaned in to press his forehead against hers, his eyes close but his voice full of pleading. "I love you."

He felt her hand on his cheek and opened his eyes. She was smiling softly at him. "Don't you dare, Mr Raizada," she whispered crossly, her nut brown eyes, glazed with tears, boring deep in his. "Don't you dare get down on your knees or make yourself miserable. I said I was only joking, I wouldn't have let you... After all the prejudices I have had against you, after all the insults I gave you, all the accusations I put on you, I should be the one begging you to accept me!"

Breathless, he smirked. "Is that a yes?"

She shook her head, pulling away from him. He frowned as she stepped back and licked her lips. "It's not."

"Khushi?"

"Kya aap humse shaadi kareinge, Arnavji?" she said, choking on her laughter which was mingled with tears. (Will you marry me, Arnavji?)

Arnav rolled his eyes and strode to her to pull her in his arms. "You are silly, woman!" But she pursed her lips and shook his hands off, stubbornly, taking several steps back.

"What the-?"

"Haan? Ya na?" she demanded with as much sternness as she could. (Yes? Or no?)

He chuckled and caught her hand. "Yes, my godess! A gazillion times, yes! Ab jaao, aur apne Bauji se kehdo ke tumne haan kardi! Please?" (...Now go, and tell your Bauji you've agreed!...)

Laughing, she threw her hands around his neck excitedly to kiss him on the jaw before she flew out like a butterfly. "Paagal hai yeh ladki," he muttered, shaking his head as he wondered how drastically his life would change with her permanent entrance in it.

He walked out of the study and his smile slid off. Right now, he had no time for rejoicing, the wedding was over and one of the tasks for which he had come was done; he had gotten his Khushi. There was something else that needed to be done now...

***

Garimaalmost fainted while Lavanya's jaw dropped to the floor. Payal, on the other hand, hugged her sister tight.

"Dekha! Shivanee aur hum bilkul sahi the! Lekin humein to lag atha ke tu Laad Governor se-" Payal teased but Khushinudged her in the ribs and she laughed. "Vaise Akaashji ne humein shaadi ke din hi bataa diya tha." (See! Shivanee and I were right! But I thought that the Laad Governor- Anyway, Akaashji had told meon the day of our marriage itself.)

Khushi blushed profusely, looking down at her hands, as Lavanya hooted loudly. "This calls for celebration! I'll just go and tell Shivanee, then we can team up and annoy you!" So saying, the youngest Gupta sister sped out of the house.

Shashi got to his feet. "Achha, humein kaam hai, hum chalte hain." He glanced at his wife to see her still frozen in the shock and chuckled, tugging her up with him. "Hum aapki Amma ko unke kamre tak le chalte hain, Bitiya. Aap dono baat karo." (Okay, I have work to do, I'll go. I'll take your mother along too. Both of you can sit and talk.)

The girls smiled. It had been a week since Payal's wedding and since Shaantivan was not very far away and Akaash was at work, he had dropped his wife at her maternal home on his way with the promise to pick her up in the evening and to have dinner with his in-laws too. And Shashi had decided it would be the best time to announce to the rest of the family that Arnav Singh Raizada had asked for Khushi's hand.

Soon, Lavanya had returned with Shivanee, and Khushi was the centre of all the leg-pulling, and the wedding plans had started off too...

***

Arnav stood behind his sisterand watched she envelopedKhushiin a tight hug.

"Hum aapse pehle hi milne aate," Anjali complained. "Lekin Bhai ne wait karne ko kaha." (I would have come to meet you earlier. But Bhai told me to wait.)

Khushi bit her lip slowly turning red, giving La the opportunity to tease her. "Oh wow, Chamkili! Tumhein sharmaana bhi aata hai?" (...You even know how to blush?)

Everyone laughed at that, apart from Khushi who smacked her sister, turning redder.

***

"Khushi, mujhe tumse kuchh baat karni hai... Akele mein..." (Khushi, I have to talk to you... Alone...)

Arnav spoke suddenly, right as they had started moving away for dinner. They received a few embarrassing comments, coupled with hoots and whistles that made Khushi blush and Arnav grin but he was frowning as soon as they had been left alone.

He moved to sit next to her in the loveseat. "I have to tell you something," he said sincerely.

The intensity of his gravity made her heart flip. What could be wrong? He gave her a small smile and held her hands in his. "Don't worry, it's nothing very serious. Just... I just want you to know. I don't want to hide anything from you, because we'll get married soon and... You understand right?"

Khushi nodded mutely and he took a deep breath. "Okay... It's not just one thing, it's many things," he winced.

"Aap humein daraa rahe hain," she admitted in a small voice. (You are scaring me.)

He smiled awkwardly at her, before clearing his voice. "First thing is... I sent Shyaam away. I don't want him prowling around, especially that he hurt my sister and I know he had his eye on you even since he got here." The relief that crossed her features told him enough of how she was feeling about this news. He continued with a little more confidence. "Pallavi and her mom have learnt about us and there is this huge war going on but I don't want you to feel bad about this, okay, Khushi? I love you and that's all what matters, right?"

She tilted her head to one side. "Lekin unko aapke iss faisle se bura laga, na? Agar unhone aapke khilaaf kuchh galat kiya to?" (But they felt bad because of this decision of yours, right? What if they do something wrong to you?)

"You want the truth?" he grinned. "I don't care. Until you believe in me, I don't give them a damn. But yes, if they try to do something to you, I'll-"

"Shh!" she interrupted. "Humein bhi koyi farak nahin padta." (I don't care.)

Smiling, he pulled her hands in his lap. "Maybe, lekin baat tumhaari hain, to mujhe farak padta hai. I can bear someone insulting me, Khushi, but not you. Never you. If anyone tries to harm you in anyway, I'll ruin that person." (Maybe, but when it comes to you, I care. ...)

"And I'll the one who will try that on you," she promised tearfully.

Arnav sighed, chuckling, and bent closer to her. "And the most important thing... I have a past, Khushi. In that past, I was a different person. I had many, really many girlfriends... But I swear, they all meant nothing to me. When we'll be married, maybe we might come across some of them, but you have to believe me, they never meant anything... I'm telling this to you already because I don't want you to feel awkward, okay? I may be polite or friendly to them but it doesn't mean a thing."

Khushi lifted her chin slightly. "What do I mean to you?" she wanted to know.

"Everything," he breathed.

She smiled without any hesitation. "That's all I need."