Arshi FF: Entwined(T1) *Completed* - Page 21

Following the little tradition that I started---this one dedicated to:

Krishhh! I love you.. :) <3

Vadiponidhi sneham okkate..

Vidiponidi frndu okkade..

Haddantu lene lenidii friendship okkate..

Kastamochina nastamochina, teeri ponidi dostu okkade, Kaneere lene lenidi Freinship okkate..

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Entwined

Chapter-13:

Sitting across the little fire place in the corner of his wooden room, dropping herself in the bean-bag, not quite leaning back, but sitting at the edge, bringing her knees to hug at her chest, wrapped in his pale brown leather jacket, with her hair let down the strands of which played with the wind outside, as she stared into the distance out of the window, Khushi looked serene and just exquisite. Something twisted inside him as he looked on standing at the entrance of his room. His gaze traveled all over her, observing her peaceful expression, her eyes concentrated with dedication at the dancing waves...whatever little was visible from his window, her hands wrapped around her knees, as his gaze lingered at her legs a little longer, he observed the exposed area from the three-fourth shorts the edges of which crawled up due to her sitting position and he noticed a little image above her knee, which after observing for another moment, he concluded it as a tattoo. A small smile crept up his lips processing the little detail just when she looked to her side directly to meet his eyes.

The little smile at his lips died off almost instantly as his intense gaze met the innocence of her hazels, and their eyes locked in an imprisonment even as he started walking towards her; his eyes boring into hers as the hot steam of the coffee in his hand acted like a vile of illusion between them. He held her gaze all through the little distance, not quite figuring out what those hazels are looking right back at him for, and he bent down reaching her even as his hand offered her the steaming coffee. He noticed a small gulp at her throat as her fingers brushed against his replacing his hand, holding the coffee mug.

"Thank you--" he heard her little voice and she looked away from his boring gaze almost instantly.

He might be having this dangerous look in his eyes, the one he might have each time he observes her a little more than needed, he thought--- because every time that happens, she seems to be recognizing his stare almost instantly and her lips would quiver suddenly, her eyes would flicker instantly and her breathing would get disturbed---just like it is happening at this right moment. Why does he stare at her like that again?

He looked away breaking the little trance, as soon as the realization hit him and took a step away from her mentally whacking himself and then he flashed a smile. She still seemed uncomfortable, the little serenity he had seen a few minutes ago completely vanished and he cursed himself for that. Nevertheless, he was determined to get over this little"whatever--they were stuck in and even as the determination was settled in, he turned away from her, trying to laugh a little in order to ease off the tension and he walked towards the other end of the room, where there was the window she had been staring at and made himself comfortable leaning at the wall holding the French window door open. Once settled, he looked back at her and flashed another smile assuring her something. She seems to have processed it, because she held his gaze at the same time and returned his smile much to his relief.

"You okay?" he found himself voice out the question even as he internally frowned for the ridiculousness of it. She just nodded proving his stupidity and he half nodded his head looking away at the ocean, trying to gather his thoughts.

"That was pretty fast--" he heard her rather settled in voice and turned around surprised, only to meet her smiling eyes.

"What was fast?"

"Coffee, I thought you would easily take half-an-hour--" she motioned to the entrance of his room, from where the vastness of the mansion peeped in, clearly making it obvious that his room was aloof and separate located above in the first floor, away from the main mansion building separated by a small thin corridor.

He chuckled, "I have my own kitchen here, for little groceries of course." he pointed out to small opening on the other end of the room.

"Richie-rich!" she smirked, as he noticed her little moments of waving her hair off her head with a slight nod, holding the coffee mug inside both of her palms securely, bringing the mug close to her lips and sipping the foam before sniffing the aroma. He was enthralled to say the least, more at himself to be observing her every little moment. He was even more impressed with himself for choosing that place to sit where the soft illumination of room did not concentrate on him and he was sure, she would not be able to make out the way he was staring at her, that very moment.

"There are certain advantages--" he continued the conversation driving away his insensible thoughts.

"Of being rich you mean?"

"Hm"hmm"

"Like?"

"Um, just concentrating on living the day, instead of securing the future, coz, it's already too much secured since too long?" he let out a small laugh at his own logic that was followed by hers as she waved away his statement rolling her eyes.

"Says the one who travels for best part of the year"Earning'" she made air quotes.

"What can I do if my own idea of living the day, by default adds to our richness?" he stated with a straight face making her frown at the incredulousness of the whole logic.

"You are still the same rich brat I once met!" she commented chuckling. "With little talking abilities developed, of course" she added.

"Ah! I had to improve in that area. Someone once told me that smile suits my face and being cordial actually makes me smile--"

"Touch, but that someone was full of illusionary theories back then, how did they even work for you?, Weren't you the one who called her nave and unaware of the outside world?" Although it was intended to be another whacky come-back, the bitterness in her tone was quite evident and the mere lack of emotions in her voice churned his insides with an unknown constricting feeling.

"Khushi..."

He heard her chuckle in that bitter way cutting him off and he just looked on intently with his mind juggling around various questions he had been determined to ask her since so long. He considered voicing his thoughts but somehow nothing came out of his mouth. His eyes were completely attuned to that of hers which were now looking right back at him with an unknown emotion and he looked away not quite trusting himself with his trade mark staring. He really wanted to ask her all those million questions he have had ever since he met her again, but he also dint quite know where to begin with. He somehow knew whatever might have been her past, it isn't something she is proud of, nor something he might be able to process for reasons unknown, but still his curiosity wasn't something that would rest easily and he knew this as well.

"Khus--"

"I'm really sorry Arnav" she suddenly said and he swallowed the rest of his words as his mouth remained a little open and he just looked on quite stumped with her sudden apology. Not being able to process the reason, he shrugged a little prompting her to elaborate.

"I should have come along a long time ago, may be as soon as I found out the reason, f..ff...for wh..what y..y...you did..." she closed her eye shut composing her sudden little uneven breathing and just after another small moment, she opened them back directly looking at him. "I took a,.a...aaw..awfully a lot of time" she shuttered and somehow the little struggle this talk is putting her into is making him disoriented and suddenly he just only wanted to end this conversation; but that would also mean, not asking her any further questions about her past. &he was confused. What does he really want?

"The reason I"um... I uh... get sss..ss...scared of you sometimes is because...it, its your very own eyes, that I have f..f...first seen after months of almost unconsciousness--"

"Right--" he acknowledged giving her all time in the world to get that out. She stopped nodding her head which was as her attempt to utter her next word and observed him for a brief moment before looking away. "Yeah,s..sso--"

"And, after that, I have be...bec..become quite hysterical even with little causal proximity from men" she used her hands representing someone giving a presentation to a huge crowd and he leaned back on the window frame, making himself comfortable, letting her know that she has his full attention. "E..even more hysterical than I was before that accident" she said nodding, her hand moments matching her expressive eyes and he found himself utterly amused at the marvel in front of him---she was actually using her body-language to shift her concentration from her shutter and as well as the images or thoughts causing her to shutter. He was intimidated to say the least even as a small smile crept up the edges of his lips. Yet again, he thanked his brains for choosing this place, where the minute expressions on his face were almost unnoticeable.

"I wanted to wait, until I would behave more civil, you know the counseling sessions and all?"

He could see the glint of pride making its way in her eyes for having said a complete sentence properly and he smiled a little acknowledging even the silent message that passed through her eyes as well as the conversation in concern. Suddenly, he didn't quite understand which part of it interested him more, her attempts to overcome everything, or the reasons that made her what she is today?

In other words, he found himself thinking, if he was indeed interested in her past that clearly has a very bad influence on her or the present, where she is putting out her brave self to emerge out of whatever it was.

"Only the time never came" he heard her say and was snapped back to reality from his little zoning out session.

"Huh?"

"I thought I've improved, dealing with the proximity from men, I really did too, but the images of that night never actually left my memory and I struggled with it. Initially I wanted to wait until I find myself ready to face you, only the time never came; sometimes even a mere mention of your name would take my mi..mm..mind back to that night and I j...ju..just couldn't help it"

"It's okay Khushi, you don't have to do this."

"Please let me, it has been long dew already and this is for my own sanity"

"You are being really hard on yourself"

"What do you mean?"

"Your weird ways of overcoming your own fears, people usually avoid it, you seem to be challenging yourself at every point by facing them, do you really think you need to prove a point to anyone here Khushi?"

"It's more for me Arnav, I seem to be lost, I need to know who I am and what do I exactly want from life. It's like I'm on this journey to find myself, but not quite travelling like you do though, I like stillness more" she completed with a hint of teasing smirk noticing which he let out small dismissing chuckle as the sound of his even laughs echoed in the empty night.

"Are you saying that we both are similar or different?" he asked arching a suggestive eye-brow.

"Both actually, self-discovering mission is the same but methods are different. Only your method doesn't really seem to have an ending, does it?"

"I don't intend for it to have, I like how I do this, but before you judge me, why don't you tell me how is your virtual journey coming along?"

"I'm not the best of persons to judge anyway and my journey, yes I guess it's coming along pretty well actually"she said a small smile making its way into her eyes and the curve adoring her lips as she looked on past him at the ocean outside. He turned to look at the waves himself and looked back to catch her dreamy content expression and somehow suddenly the same reciprocated within him as well.

"And how do you know that?" he asked really wanting to hear out her very own little achievements through her amused words which he was sure would only plaster the content expression on her face, that small look in her eyes which held a little hope, instead of hopelessness he had been seeing quite often in those hazels.

"Because the little fear I seem to experience at the mere thought of talking to you have right away vanished when I actually faced your evil face and dangerous voice--"

He laughed out loud nodding his head and shifted to look back at her. "Just like you walk around the lonely beach being the wannabe brave woman just to overcome your fear of darkness?"

"Fear of lonely nights rather, and I'm not a wannabe!!" she protested suddenly reminding him of the kid he met all those years ago.

"You don't want to know what happened in my p...p...past do..do...you?" she asked after a brief moment of comfortable silence. He looked up to see her looking back at him hopefully. He observed her face intently noticing the traces of nonchalance making its way into her features, the traces of fears coming back---her little shutter being the quite example and almost dissipating serenity he seem to have shared in the last few minutes. There was a flicker of hope as well in those hazels like if he would say yes, she would speak about all of it, what seemed like her very own token of appreciation towards him despite her fears and unwillingness--- like she is silently telling him she owes him as much explanation for saving her life and he hated that realization.

"Nope" he said despite his curiosity and has seen her give that uncertain smile. How could he possibly take away the serenity right now evident in her eyes? How could he be the reason to remind her of something which she probably has left it behind long back, with conscious determination?

"I..uh, I h"hope to s..s..speak about it someday, b..b..but, um, r..right now I'm still ye..yet to gather the required courage to t..tttalk about it without getting...hys..Hysterical, I can s..sstill try if---"

"Do you wanna play Volley ball?" he butted in her shuttering speech suddenly causing her to abruptly eat her further words even as he noticed her blinking her eyes rapidly trying to process his question. If he thought he should probably not touch the wound of her past she is trying to heal for herself, he was now sure that he really shouldn't. Something about the sudden way her eyes turned red indicating a very high level of fear he had seen before, told him that the talk she was even willing to face it, seemed much more dangerous than she is letting on. Somehow he knew, it might put her through a lot more self-struggle than she wants to accept and how could he possibly put her through it? Especially after literally seeing how serene she could seem when trying to look above and beyond her past life and who was he to disturb that anyway?

"Vo..volley ball?" she furrowed her eye-brows.

"Yes, we are playing a match tomorrow at the beach, my sister's husband and his cousins will be playing opposite me and my staff, you wanna join in?"

"A Volley ball match?"

"Yes Einstein, you could get Sheethal as well, two beautiful girls in my team will surely keep my contenders at bay"

"Uh, I don't know, I've never played Volley-ball before.." She confessed.

"Its no big-deal, besides you play basket-ball pretty good, I could teach you tips before the game and that should be enough---and by the way, there are always matches going around here, Goa is in fact famous for beach volley-balls, you have never wanted to try?" he asked curiously.

"I don't really know if I could, that was so many years ago" she said thoughtfully looking away before shifting, to meet his eyes again. "I, uh, will think about it" she said getting up from the little bean-bag gathering her things, even as he noticed her arms tugging at his jacket around her securely.

"How?" he asked approaching her already as they were now standing at the back entrance of his room, that opened to a swirling stair-case directly leading into the beach foot-path.

"Huh?"

"How would you think about it?"

"With my brain"I guess?" she said with mock uncertainty.

"Right, and how would your brain let me know when it decides?" he arched his eye-brow suggestively as he noticed the flash of realization in her eyes as she smirked locking her big hazels with his molten orbs again.

"You now have my full attention" she stated fetching her phone from her pocket, holding it in her palms as she waited for him to dictate his phone number. Once done, she smiled again with her eyes sparkling at him and she turned around, tugging her phone back, to descend the steps.

"Khushi?" he called out just when she took a little about two steps.

"You, uh, would walk back safe right? I mean you must doing that daily of course" he nodded more to himself consciously.

"Yes, perfectly safe" she stated with as much assurance as she could through her words and turned around when he nodded, as she descended the rest of the spiral stair case, he noticed her take a little jump from the last of the steps, tugging both of her hands into her huge Khakhi pockets, and he looked on her walking form--swaying hips with head-phones plugged in her ears-- accompanied by nothing but the active sea waves; he just looked on with unknown solace filling his nerves which he rather chose to ignore--until she finally vanished away into the thick of darkness leaving him to his not-so-logical thoughts, not at least to the mighty ASR brain.

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Chapter-14(part 1)

Note: Uh, I'd like to apologize if the delay in mystery revelation is proving to be frustrating, but trust me, there surely is a right time and before that I surely do have, 'forget-mystery-for-instance' worthy things..

Do let me know what you think! Love you all <3 xx