Entwined:
Chapter-11:
He stood there watching her as she nervously shifted her eyes to meet his boring gaze. He took a moment to finally take in her appearance. Dressed in a dark-blue skirt and light blue shirt, a blue over-coat completing what looked like a uniform, her hair pulled into a high pony which couldn't hold the thin bangs hanging to her one side in perfect curls over the side of her forehead and her eyes sparkling with a touch of kohl, she looked ravishing and-----for him she looked aged, in a good way. The last good memory of her was of several years ago and she did really grow as a woman since then, of course she would, but the one right in front of her is refreshingly a different woman from the one he had known lying on the hospital bed all those months ago. She looked hale, healthy, womanly, matured and just aged in a perfect way yet still holding the innocence in her eyes, the one he is quite familiar of. She had put on a little weight too, reforming from the patient kind of appearance and he found himself feeling good about it.
"You"you look fine" he voiced his thoughts effectively breaking their eye-captivity.
She fluttered her eyes, nervously again, he noticed and mentally noted himself not to stare at her in such a way that might break any cordiality they both were trying to put up. "Are you doing okay?" he added trying not to stare and keep his gaze casual something which he is unusually finding it difficult to do.
"Ye"yes, I"uh--- am.. do"doing good" she said stammering and he nodded with a slight smile.
"You might want to clean that?" he pointed to the coffee stains on her skirt and on her hand, making her to instantly shift her attention to her attire. "Oh no!" he heard her say and he just looked on as she observed her hand and dress with a little frown on her face.
"I"um, ah, I'll jus"just be back"
He nodded as he watched her walk past him, the air suddenly filled with the sweet clover of orchids, which he dint know he was so damn familiar with and he found himself turning his head around along with the breeze that carried her, as a result watching her every move. She walked to the small wash-basin, located at the end of the set-out and he watched as she twisted the water tap, fetching the flow of water with her non-stained hand and pouring them over her stained one and struggling with the little process, or so he thought, as he found himself walking towards her.
The sea breeze picked up in the cold night, making their clothes blow with the air and he observed her little frown, her slender working hands wetting in water as he walked towards her intending to help.
"Here, let me help--" he offered even as he noticed her little squirm because of his sudden voice, her surprised eyes for his close presence, her instant step backing away allowing him place in the small wash area and her trembling lips letting him know her still evident fear. He sighed taking a determined step away from her as he just offered help with his one hand directing the flow of water towards her stained hand.
She looked up to meet his gaze and yet again her eyes fluttered even as a sigh of composing escaped her throat and she smiled awkwardly what seemed like a gesture of gratitude. She washed her stained hand using her free hand to rub against the stain as he poured water and continued the same to wash the stain on her skirt, without as much as lifting her eyes even if she was well aware of his boring direct stare. Another rush of the sea breeze greeted them making the bangs of her hair disturb her vision. Her hand took turns between cleaning the stain and tugging her hair behind her ear-lobe but her silky curls proved to be stubborn and continued to play hide and seek with her eye-lashes. As much as his hand urged him to make the moment and help her more, his mind knew better than to scare her off and so he just looked on with amusement more on himself for noticing such minute things.
Once done, she took a step away finally looking up to meet his eyes and he instantly knew the small flicker of fear he have seen moments ago was gone with whatever mind-preparation she managed to do in those few moments. He was impressed and for reasons unknown he found himself proud at her efforts.
"You're all wet--" he said and regretted instantly for the choice of conversation.
"Uh"the s--s"skirt? I-iii"its fine, the wind here is heavy, it dd-dd"dries up instantly--"
She stammered pretty often, or was it just with him, he dint know, but she sure did stammer, quite a lot, something he never knew or never thought she would. Not that he knew everything about her anyway. He just nodded thoughtfully as they walked silently back to the little table he was sitting earlier.
**
She stammered, it had always been a weak area of her speech, but was never too evident not even to herself, because it only happens when she was internally scared. She had discovered this when she started to speak again after being in coma for months. And this was observed only during her counseling sessions, because before that she only knew to be hysterical when in fear but as she learnt to overcome her fears and in the process submerging them, she found herself stammering. It's a habit, not everyone would notice and she would generally overcome it within minutes in situations like this. But today was definitely an exception, because she stammered long enough for him to notice, something which she isn't really proud of and she did feel embarrassed about it. And hence she was determined to let him know that she doesn't always have a stammering mouth, or she isn't really scared of him to keep stammering all the time. For reasons unknown, it had become important for her to prove such things to him.
"Uh"th--" she started when they reached the table only to abruptly shut her mouth again when she had his full attention. Her determination has only increased and now it has become a mere challenge for her to say one word like normal people do.
"Thank you--" there, she did it and smiled in content even as she noticed his arched eye-brow as if asking her the reason, like she dint have all too many reasons to thank him? She wondered. Not wanting to ruin the successfully uttered word, she turned her head towards the wash-area using her hand even to show him and he half nodded acknowledging it.
"No problem" she heard him say and found herself relieved as if a great mission has been accomplished. She smiled meeting his eyes and the little eye-twitched smile at the corner of his eyes warmed her heart. Not finding his trade mark boring stare which ruminates her uninvited fears any longer in those molten orbs, she finally was able to look right into his eyes without fluttering this time, her confidence slightly finding its way back even as he looked right into her eyes, warmth imprisoning around them.
"There! So you guys met properly?" they heard Sheethal's voice from the distance effectively breaking their little eye-communication they seem to have which none of them were able to process what it was about. They looked towards Sheethal in unison as she walked toward them with three cups of freshly made coffee in her tray.
"So Arnav, this is my friend Khushi and Khushi this is---"
"Arnav Singh Raizada" Khushi completed keeping her steady gaze on Arnav and Arnav was absolutely surprised. "Oh, so the introductions done already or are you telling me Khushi that he is really famous and wasn't lying to me all along?" Sheethal said shifting her eyes from Arnav and Khushi.
Arnav chuckled making Khushi stare at the both of them as she realized she might be interrupting something. She shifted her gaze from one to another as a rush of inferiority complex engulfed her and she dint quite understand what she was doing. "Er--"
"We know each other" he cut her off and it was her turn to be surprised. "Yes we do" she added now fixing her eyes back to just him.
"Okaaay" Sheethal exclaimed placing the tray on the table and settled down on one of the chairs, crossed her legs and looked at the both of them. "Let's hear it--" she added grinning.
"What?" Arnav was quick to respond in his quirky way.
"Story, you guys met before, there sure is a story common, spill it"
"We met in college"
"We met in college"
They both said in unison making Sheethal grin even more. Arnav and Khushi looked at each other instantly, truly amused by the sync in their thought process. What amused Arnav was the fact that she still remembered their earlier ventures and remembered enough to overpower their recent no-so-good memory. He smirked catching her knowing smile and a silent acknowledgement passed between them.
"College, hmm-hmm! Would you guys mind being seated please, I feel a little out of place here" Sheethal spoke even as she smirked observing the both of them as they silently settled at the table, their minds too much occupied with memories of a different time.
"Go on" she urged offering them their coffee.
Arnav was fast to come out of their little reverie. "And how does it concern you?" he found himself asking with a hint of tease in his voice.
"Just so I could find out something insult worthy about you?" Sheethal poked her tongue out and shifted her attention back to Khushi. "Tell me Khushi, how was he back then, were you guys friends? Did he trouble you? Did he boss you around or something? He was definitely a jerk wasn't he?"
"Oh ho ho! Stop with the interrogation Ms.FitForNothing, we hardly knew each other back then, more like strangers, aren't we Khushi?" Arnav said as he smiled with his eyes gazing right into Khushi's, communicating the unsaid through them and Khushi found herself giving that knowing radiant smile tugging her lower lip in, relating to the word Stranger in such a familiar way which only they both would understand.
"Oh! That's bad!" Sheethal whined as she sipped her own coffee oblivious to the other two pair of eyes that were revisiting probably a same memory of years ago or may be another same good memory of a few months ago.
And suddenly it happened, like it was exactly meant to only at this moment. It wasn't him who intended to let on, it wasn't her as well who was set to find out but somehow it just happened. Visions of a night came rushing back to their minds, a night where a girl stood on the wall of a terrace and a Stranger guy climbed up with an intention to save her but only to end up having a weird conversation. Something flickered in her eyes, a realization probably, but the way she looked at him--stunned, he had this feeling about what might be going on in her head. She opened her mouth and closed it again, all traces of fear vanishing away from her mind as a stream of realization hit her causing her to indulge herself in a deep thinking process. They both continued to steal glances at each other, a long dew conversation nagging at the back of their minds, as Sheethal's on-going casual talk and the two steaming mugs of coffee, long forgotten.
**
"Okay so today may be the old"Stranger friend might drop you home Khushi?" Sheethal said yawning as the three of them walked out of the restaurant, locking the door behind them.
"What? It's just two blocks away!"
"Like I dint know already? It's not safe to walk along the beach now Khushi, do I have to remind you always? Don't argue with me, I'm done for the day, it was nice meeting you Arnav, oh hell I forgot the insult"it was not-very-nice meeting your Arnav--" she paused chuckling as she stepped forward to give him a causal hug; Khushi looked away awkwardly a weird uneasiness settling inside her, as Arnav's eyes awkwardly fixed to that of hers.
They watched as Sheethal climbed the little stair case that lead to the small attached beach house behind the restaurant and waited until the door was closed behind her.
"Uh, I parked my car a little away, so shall we walk?" he offered looking at her, catching the soft glow of moon on her face, her sharp nose standing out as she nodded silently. They walked in silence until they reached his car and he turned, his one hand reaching the handle of his car door.
"Arnav?" he heard her call just when he was about to open the door for her, and his insides did a tiny flip-flop at the way she called out. He turned around following their own little tradition, as a soft smile edged at his lips.
"Yes?" he said now completely facing her.
"I live there---" she pointed out to a small building, a feet away from his car, perfectly residing by the beach, aloof yet peaceful. "Alone!!?" he found himself exclaim, even as he winced at his own reaction. He closed his eyes shut, and opened them back only to find her looking at him with an unreadable expression.
"I like it here--" she said simply yet meaning a lot more than she is letting on, and he nodded acknowledging everything and may be even more.
"Let me walk you till there?" he offered.
"Uh.. I'm fine, it's just right there--" she pointed out to the building not too far away and he nodded uncertainly. She observed him for another brief moment before walking past him even as he silently watched on. She stopped right ahead of him and turned around, still having that unreadable expression in her face.
"You might want to wait here and watch me go, but I wanted to let you know, that night, you did the right thing" she said and smiled as realization dawned onto him, but before he could respond, she started walking away and all he could do was look on.
Suddenly, he wanted to talk more, lot more than he thought he would. He wanted to know more, even more than she might want to let on. Suddenly he wanted to know it all, all of the mystery surrounding her, which he had managed to not care all these days. But then he wasn't sure how, wasn't sure if she would let him. Nevertheless he was willing to try, or rather get her try.
"Khushi!" the call left his mouth urgently and she stopped in her tracks turning around almost instantly.
She met his eyes, as another stream of breeze engulfed them, the chillness in it making her to bring her arms close around her, as the sound of ocean waves echoed.
"Hotel Georgia Grand" he said nonchalantly without giving away any expression. Even from the distance he could see her small smirk twitching at the corners of her lips. "And my name is famous--" he added, she just nodded in agreement.
"Keep walking and take care" he said as he leaned back on his car, folding his hands across his chest, crossing his one leg and he looked on her walking form, as she kept looking back at every two steps and finally waved back at him once she reached her door. He smiled, more to himself, watching as she closed the door finally allowing him to take his eyes off her.
**
Chapter-12
Edited by dedeepyalove - 11 years ago
Bigg Boss 19
Parineeti
44