Arhi FF 'Sandcastle' Th 1. Reposted all the parts - Page 18

Chapter 3

"Are you sure you want another ice cream?"

Khushi groaned inwardly at her protective sister's unnecessary worries. Glaring at her, she nodded, pointing towards the bicycle and the man who was returning home after a long day. "Just one more, Bindu, and we will leave. Anyways, why can't you just enjoy the moment with Kiran. I mean, you are with him on tank bund at 1 AM without our elder's supervision. Utilize it, pussy cat."

She chuckled as Bindu glared at her. only if looks had the power to kill, Khushi was a dead meat by now. Knowing well that her sister was not going to leave her alone after her comment, Khushi jumped off the bench and ran to Kiran who was leaning by the barrier. "One more and we will go back, Kiran," she requested with a pout, "I pity you, you know, for having one torturous girl as a wife."

"Now," Kiran shook his head at Bindu, who tried to speak and turned to Khushi as he said, "we are leaving, Khushi. No more ice creams. Are we clear?"

"God!" Khushi turned away from them, disappointed with their decision. "I just had few cubes and you speak like I had 100. Come on guys, grow up."

"You just had 4 cubes, I agree," Bindu cupped her cheek with a smile. "It is not good for your health, Khushi."

She hugged Bindu. "I am fine, Di. I will not fall ill just for having ice creams," Khushi reasoned but accepted to leave for home.

As she rested her head on the window panel, Khushi could not help but feel content with what life had offered her. She could not ask for a better family. She had everything. She glanced at the lovers and smiled. She loved to hear love stories and watch romantic movies. And her sister's love was one of the kinds.

Kiran was her father's student and he happened to see Bindu four years ago. Arvind was a strict professor, who was hard to impress and Kiran was a talented student. Arvind wanted Kiran to do his best and rest fell in place. He used to visit their home every weekend in pretense of meeting Arvind while in reality, he came for Bindu. They never crossed their limit, though Khushi had no idea what that limit was. Once done with his MBA, Kiran approached Arvind with his proposal and after a long thought and even longer conversation with Bindu for over a week, Arvind declared he was happy for them. Their story was as simple as it sounded.

"Can I hope wedding is on its way?"Khushi asked them with a smile, already planning as what and how to do for the d-day to make it extra special for her dear sister. "I need to start planning it, you know," she added, gaining a chuckle from Kiran, while Bindu lowered her head. "Is Bindu blushing?" she teased her sister while leaning towards them, with each hand on their seats. "I can't believe my tigress sister is actually having a shy smile!"

"God Bindu!" Kiran hissed under his breath and said, "please don't do it, it's very distracting."

"Shut up!" Bindu snapped, making them chuckle, "don't make yourself a fool near Khushi, Kiran. Behave as a man. God, I can't believe you actually said it."

"He did not say that he wants to take you right away, right." Khushi supported him, only to gain glare from her sister, much to his amusement. "What did I say now, Di? I am talking about the most natural thing."

Bindu raised her hands in air, giving up. She knew better than to speak sense to Khushi, when Kiran treated her as a kid. Though she loved Khushi as her own kid, she did not like this side of her, who would speak about sex just like pleasantries. "I have nothing more to say," Bindu said finally as they reached their home, "don't involve me in your talks."

"Okay baba okay," Khushi climbed down, leaving the lovers to have their goodbyes, "good night, Jeeju." She wished him with a hug and whispered, "thank you for ice creams."

"Hey, it's me who fulfilled your wish," Bindu accused with a pout, "this is not fair. You will forget your Di for Jeeju?"

"Aww, pussy cat," Khushi hugged her and kissed her cheek noisily, "I love you too, but I am not, you know, lesbian."

She ran in for her dear life without wasting any time. She decided to have a quick shower in the meanwhile and made her way to the bathroom.

"You worry too much," Kiran said, kissing her head as she hugged him, "let her enjoy, Bindu. I know you mean good for her, but just let her live to the fullest."

"She is recovering from fever," Bindu snapped in annoyance, "and she behaves like a kid. Instead of making her see sense that she has to take care of herself, you are pampering her, Kiran."

"This is not fair," he accused her now, "I just carried out your family's tradition of pampering the apple of their eye... my responsibility as a son-in-law, you see."

_______

His hand searched for the source of the object that disturbed his slumber. Opening his one eye to look at the id, he groaned, shutting his eyes tight with annoyed lines on his forehead. "What is it, Aman?" he hissed into the mobile, "it's so early to have business call. Don't you think so?"

"On the contrary," he heard Aman chuckle, "this is a personal call, dude. Sheetal is back."

Arnav sat in an instant, traces of slumber gone that replaced with sheer hatred and annoyance. "This is not so happening, Aman" he cried out, "tell me she did not ask for me."

"Again," Aman countered, "on the contrary, she called me as soon as she landed, that is exact nine minutes ago, to enquire about her boyfriend."

He held his head in his hand, irritated with the issue. "Why can't she understand I am not interested in her?" he asked, knowing well Aman, or no one in that matter, could answer him, but continued, "why can't she just get it that I am not looking for a long term relationship right now?"

"Sheetal aside," Aman said seriously, making him nervous as he knew what was about to come. He climbed off the bed and went out, needing fresh air to breath. The sky was wide awake, adored in bright orange hues. He glanced at his mobile again to note the time. It was just half past seven and here he was, irritated as hell. "I am worried about you Arnav, along with your parents," he heard Aman, "you are thirty and still not looking for anyone. When do you think is the right time?"

"When I met the girl who is compactable with me," Arnav replied in a low tone, smiling at the thought of meeting such a special person who would make him want to live with her. "I will forget everything and enjoy her presence in life and now, Aman, for the sake of heavens above you, do you not think you have cut this conversation and never bring it again?"

"Okay fine, I forgot to tell you something very important," Aman said, his tone held teasing in its edge and before Arnav could retort or disconnect, he heard Aman saying, "good morning, Suriya."

Arnav shook his head and stood there for a moment to collect his thoughts. As he turned around to go back and start his day, having no option as he could not go back and sleep now, he saw Khushi with her copper kalash, just like the last day, in a half saree and wet hair. But today, he noticed, she looked brighter than last day with orange skirt and yellow dupatta. Pausing for a fraction of second when she saw him, she ignored him with ease and walked to the front part of the terrace. Leaning over the baluster, she looked downstairs, as Arnav leaned to the pillar with his arms across his chest.

"I want you all up here within a minute," Khushi shouted to the downstairs, amusing him behind, "no more arguments about this, Papa. Suriya is here and you are late."

"What?"

Arnav stared at her, unable to say a word, watching her staring at him with confusion. "What do you mean by what'?" she asked him with her brows narrowed.

"Who do you say is here?" he asked her, surprised to hear his name from her - name he did not introduced himself to anyone.

"Suriya," she mentioned casually, looking at sky behind her over her shoulder and then turned to face him, "why are you so surprised about it, anyways?"

It took Arnav a long minute to understand she was referring to the sun god. Embarrassed, he nodded at her, unable to say anything further. He watched the family coming up with their own vessels. "I can't believe I am actually doing this," Arvind complained, as Arnav stared at the elder man in confusion.

"Don't say I did not warn you, Papa," Bindu complained in an angry tone, making Arnav surprise, "I asked you to think before giving into her word. Now, you let us suffer along with you in her craziness."

"How could I have guessed she would make us pray her Suriya with her?"Arvind snapped and then the family wished him, noticing him at that moment. Arnav smiled and stood behind, leaning on to the pillar, and watched the family offering their prayers. Making it as quick as possible, the trio left, as if running for their dear life. It took another five minutes for Khushi to done her prayer.

"So," he asked her when she turned around to leave, "you like Suriya?"

Khushi stepped forward but stopped, not wanting to be rude to their guest that would upset her family. "Yes," she said reluctantly.

"What is there in him to like?" He asked again, enjoying her reactions.

"What is not there in him not to like?" she answered him with a question but said, "He symbolizes a new day, a new hope bringing brightness and defeating dark. In fact, I love Suriya."

"We haven't introduced properly," Arnav said with a smirk, having no idea why he was doing that but he enjoyed her craziness. He enjoyed her madness and to remove his thoughts regarding Sheetal and the torturous phone calls he would receive from now, he wanted some fun and that was readily offered by this crazy girl. Without thinking further, he smiled at her and introduced himself, "I am Arnav... Arnav Suriyaprakash Raizada," stressing the word Suriya' and watched her eyes widening in surprise. "The Suriya you love," he added.

"Argh," Khushi shouted at him, "I hate you."

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