ARHI FF:From first crush to eternal love pt 12 pg 72 updated 23/03 - Page 29

A/N

Chapter 8

Khushi woke up the next day with a slight headache. She fluttered her eyes open and looked around at her surroundings. She slowly got up and went to the on suite bathroom. She looked up at herself in the mirror to find her eyes red and puffy, her cheeks full of mascara of her dry tears as she had forgotten to clear her make up on the previous night. All of a sudden she looked at her lips and the nights events came flashing in her mind. She slightly touched her lips where she had been kissed by him. Something she had wanted him to do for a long time. Something she had been dreaming for a long time and now it had happened she didn't know how she felt about it, happy or sad or disgusted, she had no idea. All she knew was that she had been kissed by him. The only man whom she ever had feelings for, strong feelings.

"Khushi" came Payal's voice bringing her out of her thoughts. "Yes jiji" Khushi said. "You awake?" "Yes jiji. Did you want anything?" "Yes. Hurry up and get ready. There's a surprise waiting for you downstairs." "Ok jiji. I will be there."

With that Payal went downstairs while Khushi got ready.

Once Khushi was ready in casuals she walked out of her room and went downstairs only to find her best friend Preeti waiting for her.

"Khushi" Divya screamed as she saw Khushi and ran up towards her. Khushi was looking at Divya as she ran towards her only for Khushi to fold her arms across her chest and look at Divya in a mood.

"What?" Divya asked looking shocked. "You were supposed to be here yesterday when I got here. Where were you?" asked a grumpy Khushi. Divya held her ears and gave her a puppy dog look. Khushi looked at her and couldn't help but smile. She took Divya into a bear hug and Divya hugged her back. Khushi then pulled back and pulled Divya with her to her room.

This whole scene had been witnessed by the whole Gupta and Sharma family who had come over.

"Khushi" shouted her mother as she was running up the stairs. "At least say hello to Divya's family before you disappear." Khushi turned to look towards the seating area where her family and Divya's family were. "Oops" she whispered towards Divya making Divya giggle as they made their way down and Khushi went to say hello to Divya's family.

Mr Ashok Sharma owned a chain of restaurants in Delhi. He had started his business at the age of 25 once he had established himself as a chef. He opened his first restaurant and then never looked back. His family consists of his wife Sunaina Sharma who he had met at a cousins wedding and with the blessing of his parents they were married the following year. His eldest son was Prem who was an architect and had moved to America where he worked for a big company. Prem had gotten married about a year back with a girl named Jyoti who was an accountant. Ashok's daughter Divya was the same age as Khushi. He also had another daughter named Isha who was sixteen.

Khushi walked over the Sharma family and greeted them all while asking how Prem bhaiyya and Jyoti bhabhi were doing as well as taking Isha into a bear hug. She stayed for a little while before her and Divya went up to her room so they could talk.

As soon as they had gotten to Khushi's room Divya went on a rant asking a dozen question's "How are you doing? How was your final year? Do you know what your final result is? Oh it is so good that your back. Now we can go and have some fun." As Divya went on Khushi was lost in her own thoughts. Divya noticed this "Khushi? Khushi?" she waved her hand in front of Khushi's face bringing Khushi out of her thoughts. "Where are you Khushi cause your certainly not listening to me?" "I saw him last night" Khushi blurted. "Wait you mean'.Arnav?" Divya asked looking shocked. Khushi just nodded a yes. "How? When? Where?" Divya asked in one breath.

Khushi then went on to tell Divya what happened on the previous night.

Divya sat there with her mouth open in shock. "What? He kissed you and you let him?" Divya asked still in shock. "What exactly did you want me to do? He had me pinned against the wall" Khushi retorted. "Well you could have hit him where it really hurt" Divya said. "I couldn't. I was in a state of shock plus somewhere I guess I was kind of enjoying that kiss. Anyhow you weren't there." "Well if I was I would have done something more and what are you on about liking him kissing you. Khushi you and I both know what Arnav is like. He is a player not to be trusted. He goes from one girl to another when things get too serious or if he sees someone better" Divya stated.

Khushi knew Divya was right about all she had said but Khushi just couldn't help how she felt.

Arnav Singh Raizada

The name itself bought goose bumps all over her body making her tingle.

Divya watched Khushi's expression knowing full well what she was thinking about or let's say whom. She had known this for a long time.

Divya had met Khushi when Khushi's family had come to her father's third restaurant opening. Both were around nine.

Khushi had been upset all day as Garima was making her wear anarkali's again. She was getting irritated and Garima was losing her patience with Khushi. Payal had tried to console Khushi as much as possible but to no avail when Shashi had come home to find an upset Khushi.

There had been an invitation to all business's to the opening of the new restaurant so Shashi had decided to take his whole family there.

While Khushi and Payal were excited Garima was huffing and puffing telling her husband that he was spoiling his daughters but Shashi had explicitly told her that they were in Delhi now not Lucknow and they had to adjust to the life in the city plus he would meeting a lot of business associates while he was there.

Garima at first was stunned at how her husband was becoming more and more like the men in the city and he was losing himself to the way he was before but when she witnessed what other men were like at the restaurant she was thankful that Shashi was her husband.

As soon they reached the restaurant the place was packed with the very rich and famous of the city.

A lot of business associates of Shashi's were there so he had no problem integrating himself with them.

Garima was feeling out of place slightly as she saw what most of the women were wearing with their open or backless blouses to go with their saris plus all that make-up and jewellery.

Shashi had been shown towards their table by the waiter. They all sat down while Shashi inspected the menu deciding what to have.

As he was deciding the Sharma's were making their way around the place to greet everyone. They had reached the Gupta's table and were getting introduced to each other.

As the parents were talking Payal and Khushi saw Prem, Divya and little Isha. The kids at first just carried on staring at each other before their respective parents ushered the kids to talk to each other.

As it happened Sunaina was very similar to Garima in thinking and clothing style. She could not adjust herself towards having very revealing blouses. Although she was a bit more modern then Garima she was less modern then some of the other women there. Her thoughts also were very similar to Garima's only towards teaching her children their traditions she didn't mind about her kids wearing modern clothing as it was they were all living in a modern society.

Once the Sharma's had introduced themselves to everyone they actually came back to sit next to the Gupta's as they felt a certain connection with the family.

Garima had been noticing the other families and she had noticed how no other family apart from them and the Sharma's had their kids there with them. She also had noticed how a lot of the men were busy ogling other men's wives or the waitresses plus how have of them either smoked or drank beer. She then turned to look at her husband who was busy talking to Ashok and was thanking her lucky stars for her husband the way he was.

Over time the families became really close with one another. They were even planning to get Prem and Payal but as Prem had gone to America he had fallen in love and both Payal and Prem never felt that way towards one another. So both families let it be.

Divya had become very close with Khushi over time as the families use to regularly meet up.

Both had gone to same school and even though Divya had been a very popular girl at school unlike Khushi Divya was always there for her. She had never forgotten that friendship as time had gone by. Divya had also been there when Khushi had first met Arnav.

Khushi had often spoken about him in the weeks she had gone to see him. Divya had noticed a glow on Khushi's face every time she would mention Arnav. Divya at that time had only suspected Khushi to be in love but she never said. Divya had also been there when Khushi had witnesses Arnav kissing another girl which had left her devastated. Divya had known it all.

"Hello" Khushi said to Divya while waving her hand in front of her face. "Where are you?" "Sorry" came the reply. "I was thinking about old times" Divya said looking at Khushi. "Anyhow so what was London like? How was the uni? When do you graduate? Meet any eligible guys there?" Divya spoke in one breath while winking at Khushi. Khushi just looked at her friend shocked before hitting her lightly on the shoulder. They both ended up in giggles after that. Both went and sat on the bed and Khushi started telling Divya everything about London and life there.

At AR Arnav was in a very bad mood since he had gotten in in the morning. The whole night he couldn't stop thinking or dreaming about Khushi. Even after he had woken up in the middle of the night like normal her face was haunting him. He was frustrated about how he had known Khushi for a long time and now how she was the only girl getting to him which he himself couldn't understand. To him she was only a kid when he had known her but now she was a beautiful young woman. One he would love to get to know more closely but he hated feeling this way about her as she happened to be Shashi's daughter. He didn't want to do anything to ruin the relationship he shared with Shashi Gupta who over time had become a father figure for Arnav and here he was thinking about Khushi in ways he normally thinks about his models or women who would literally throw themselves at him.

"Aaarrrggghhh" he shouted in frustration in the office. Stop it Arnav. She is Shashi uncle's daughter and also it's Khushi. Don't you remember she is very friend from years ago. Why in the hell are you thinking about her like that? Stop it. She is your friend. A friend I haven't seen or heard from in years. A friend who now is not a kid no more but a very seductive and beautiful young woman he thought but then mentally kicked himself for thinking of Khushi in that kind of way.

At the Malhotra house NK was thinking about Khushi. He picked up the phone to call her up. The phone rang for a couple of seconds before he heard a sweet 'Hello' from the other end and he forgot what to say for a couple of minutes.

"Hello?" Khushi said as she looked at Divya quizzically. "Hello? Anyone there?" she said again. She looked at her phone to check who had called her. She saw NK's name and put the phone near her ear. "Hi NK. How are you?" This bought NK out of his trance while Divya looked at Khushi mouthing 'Who's NK?' Khushi gestured Divya to stop talking while she was listening to NK. "Yes NK why did you call me?" Khushi asked. "Oh yeah'.ummm'. actually'Khushi'.." NK stammered. "Yes?" came the sweet voice through the phone. NK was really nervous. Come NK you can do this encouraging himself. "Khushi can we meet somewhere tonight for dinner?" he finally said. Khushi was stunned. She stood like a statue, her eyes wide open and her mouth opened in a perfect 'o'. She had no idea what to say to him. Khushi was very confused already and with NK just asking her out she was even more confused.

Divya was busy looking at Khushi's lost expression. She placed her hand on Khushi's shoulder bringing Khushi out of her lost thoughts. Khushi turned to face Divya who mouthed 'what's wrong?' Khushi nodded a no indicating nothing is wrong. She turned her attention back to her phone.

"Umm NK I will call you back I am a bit busy at the moment" Khushi said and put the phone down.

NK was left a little perplexed. He took his phone away from his ear and stared at it thinking what just happened there. He was a little upset that he didn't get an answer from Khushi but then thought she will call him back. With that he went back to what he was doing.

Divya looked at Khushi who was again lost in her own thoughts. "Khushi" Divya said but Khushi didn't reply. Divya then shook Khushi bringing Khushi out of her thoughts. "Ha" "Who's NK?" Khushi then went and told Divya all about NK. Divya just grinned. "So what are you waiting for?" Divya asked. "What do you mean?" Khushi asked looking confused. "Well NK just asked you out to dinner. If I were you I would say yes and for god sakes please forget about Arnav. You and both know what he is like. At least with NK he sounds like a safer choice. So phone him up and say yes." Divya spoke in one go. "You think I should?" Khushi asked looking at Divya. "For god sakes YES. Call him back and say yes right now." Khushi couldn't help but grin with Divya.

She picked up the phone, dialled NK's number and waited. NK answered the phone on the second ring. "Hi. NK, I would like to go to dinner with you." Khushi said. NK heard this and had a wide grin on his face. "Umm.. Yes.. Khushi I will pick you up at 7 this evening and we will go to Spice Route at the imperial hotel." "Ok." They both put their phones down.

At AR Arnav had been busy all day with meetings and had been informed by Aman that his clients from Mumbai had arrived. They were staying at the imperial hotel and being very important clients Arnav had to take them out to dinner to entertain them as well as try to talk about the project. He was glad they were at the imperial hotel it meant he could take them to the restaurants at the hotel. One where he had been to a few times. Spice Route he thought.

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Nice to see your update after a very long time...welcome back...I read all your works and am eagerly waiting for the other updates as well...just came across this update and felt very elated...very nice update...missed your stories...please continue to write...I have added the new PM account...please PM me the updates...