Arhi FF 'Sandcastle' Th 1. Reposted all the parts - Page 78

Chapter 10

He rubbed his eyes to adjust them as he scowled at the continuous bangs on the door that disturbed his sleep. Glancing at the clock, his frown deepened as he reluctantly dragged his body to answer the knocks while cursing under his breath in not so decent way, pulling a t shirt over his head. Still in half sleepy way, he pulled the door ajar to find a thick curtain of dark night. Startled, he stepped back, receiving an irritating smile.

"You have fifteen minutes to get ready. Don't waste much time. Now, move your sleepy ass, will you?"

Yawning, he went back to the room, not much caring about her and settled himself on his stomach, burying his head in the pillow. "Is it not too early to wish good morning?" He asked, his hand searching for the duvet, "your Sun God hasn't up yet."

"He took the day off," she replied casually as she pulled the duvet away from his reach, "he said to enjoy the day with you instead. So here I am, Suriya. Stop behaving like a stubborn kid and move your butt."

Stumbled at her words, Arnav sat on the bed, having no other option. "I can hear laughter from the whole world at your declaration," he said with a frown, "you are the one, banging into a man's room at 5 in the morning and asking me to move my butt..." Arnav stared at her then, his eyes wide open as sleepiness was driven out of the window. "What the hell are you doing here, Khushi?" He shouted at the realization, "get out right now. What in the world do your family think about this?"

Khushi stared at him for five seconds before bursting into laughter. "Seriously," she said in between with much difficulty, "what have you been watching last night, Arnav? Typical Indian soaps? Who are you? A poor man stuck between wife and mother's silly fights?"

"No," Arnav replied seriously, "there was this video a friend suggested few days ago. I was checking it and ended up searching the whole site."

"po*n site?"

Arnav watched a disappointed Khushi, her eyes glaring in anger. He couldn't help but smile at the innocent girl in front of him. "Come here," he said, watching her hands dropping by her side. Shaking his head, he pulled her wrist a little to make her sit. "I was being honest, Khushi. I am a man and I do have faults, if you considered watching such videos as fault. Now, tell me why you are here at this time. I am sure your father would never agree with you walking into a random man's room."

"Papa left for a trip with his students last night." Khushi said with a smile, "I have my ways with him, anyways. Not, just get ready. I want you to come with me to some place."

"Can we just not visit wherever you want to in a decent hour, like about three hours later?" Arnav asked her, "I am too sleepy to have a shower."

He stared at her as she lowered her head, upset by his right away rejection. Her knee length yellow kurta over denims, with her hair tied in a high pony that rested over her right shoulder, she looked like a stubborn innocent kid, who wanted to achieve whatever she had in mind. "I can't believe I am actually sacrificing my sleep for a stubborn kid," he said to her while walking to the bathroom. "Ten minutes and I will be under your service, Ma'am."

Ten minutes later, he came out as promised and was stunned at the sight. The bed was done and his files were arranged neatly on the study desk, with his laptop and drawing sheets to a side.The good part was she was not in the room and Arnav thanked his stars for that. He did not want to see her just after she arranged his room for him. He felt the whole situation a bit weird. Although he liked her cuteness, it was way too intimate in a way and Arnav did not want to have that kind of emotion.He walked to the desk and opened the bag, taking the card out. Pulling the chair out, he looked at them with a hallow smile, as he caressed the cards, remembering the days with his unknown girl.

He had liked the girl in a way that he didn't realize he had in him. A way he was not able to like any other girl after her. He could never name their relationship, yet, Arnav felt that he would meet her one day and would be able to give the name. It felt suffocating, and disturbing. He was not sure why he halted in that moment and was waiting for her to contact him again. He was not sure whether she felt the same. But there was something in him that stopped himself from looking at other girls.

Pushing her thoughts, Arnav made his way out after dressing in a pair of button down shirt and denims. He saw Khushi waiting for him near his car. "I am about to call you," she said, hopping in the car, "what took you so long?"

"Was lost in my girlfriend's thoughts," he said with a chuckle, sounding it as a joke. "So, where to?"

"Just go straight for now," she instructed, "and follow my instructions."

"I can use GPRS," Arnav offered, "I am not about to depend on a kid for directions, Khushi. That hurts my ego."

Arnav cursed himself as he saw her face fell at his comment but stayed mum. He really had nothing to say to her as he had not understood her yet. He knew she was nice person but something in her bothered him. The way she looked at him and the way she talked to him, as if they were known from ages - that startled him, though he enjoyed her company."What is bothering you Khushi?" He asked her, unable to take the silence around him.

"I am in love," he heard her say in a whisper and was not stunned at the declaration. He had expected her to be in love, the way she said that she was looking for some advice two days ago when she accompanied him to his work area. "I have no idea how he felt about me. As much I knew him, I am sure he likes me but I am not sure how much he reciprocates my sentiments."

He shook his head. "That is the problem with you guys." He commented after a short pause. "You think too much in such matters. Of course I accept that the fear is unavoidable. But you just have to say him how you feel for him, Khushi. If he reciprocates, you will end up together. If he doesn't, well, there is really nothing anyone can do in that case except to move on in life. What if you keep of thinking and stepping back, without confessing him first, out of fear, and end up marrying another guy and later regretting the whole life?Even worse, what if you realized his sentiments for you after you get married? Just go to him, say that you love him, and accept his decision, whatever it might be. As simple as it sounds, and I know that it is much more difficult than it sounded. But there is no other way to deal with this thing."

Khushi did not say anything after that. He waited for her to instruct next set of directions but noticing her lost in her thoughts, he drove to the place that became his solace from the time he stayed in the city - a place his girl liked the most.

His girl. His thoughts went back to her in an instant, in a most natural way.he had been forced to participate in that card game by Aman. Arnav never found it interesting in such games but Aman were so into treasure games that he would literally drag his friends, ignoring whether the guys were interested or bored. Now, as he thought about it, Arnav felt glad that he had been forced but at that moment, all he wanted to do was go back to hotel room after hours of presentation and have a sleep. So, collecting all his strength, Arnav picked up a random card from the display desk, along with a number slip from a bowl. Forcing himself, he had written a single line on the card.

Hello Stranger! I am forced into this silly game. Anyways, I wish you all the success in your life. Take care.

Aman had laughed at his words but Arnav handed the card over to the authorities and left the place. He had forgotten about it for the rest of the day, before Aman handing his return card that night. He flipped it open in irritation, wondering how his sister fell in love with a crazy and insane Aman, only to find its content similar to his.

This is strange, this game. I am here to enjoy a week's break after two years continuous medical education, and am forced by my friends to have this fun' game. As I am writing to you, all I can say is all the best for your success and I hope you achieve everything that you aspired. Bye!

After reading it, Arnav had a good laugh at it. He could almost hear her hissing these words with a hint of sarcasm dipped in her voice, and that held his curiosity. WhenAman dragged him the next day for the game, he followed his friend without much of a fuss, though Arnav would never agree with it. He found a glimpse of himself in her and thus ended up writing second card to her. Though he did not expect a return card from her, he had been happy to have it. The following week, even though that silly game had ended on the second day itself, they continued exchanging their cards. By their fifth card, Arnav found himself sharing almost all his likes and dislikes, along with his profession and family, while she did the same. It still surprised him, after six months, the way he felt a strong bond with her and the way he ended things with Sheetal by the end of that week. The girl was funny, talented and had a witty side in her that attracted him to her. And she had interests in various things, she had written, varying from medical to human behavior, from philosophy to psychology, from individuals to the family's origin. He found himself waiting impatiently the whole day to receive her card at the night but never had he tried to know about her in person. He had agreed, when she said that she came to know about him accidently, that he would meet her directly only when she was fine with it. As promised, he never asked the ten year old kid, who was a child of one of the workers there, who helped them exchange their cards. And now, he regretted for not asking about her.

Arnav parked the car aside, as he came to the present, and watched Khushi who smiled at him. It was not a smile that he used to in the past days. Her smile lost that glint and it seemed to be a forced one. "Tank bund?" She asked him, "you like this place?"

Smiling at her, he got off the car. "Not really," he said, remembering the way his girl mentioned about her favorite place in her city, a place where she would visit whenever she was distressed or worried. "Someone close to my heart loves this place," he said as they walked along the pavement, his eyes lost on the Buddha Statue in the middle of Hussian Sagar Lake. "She said that this place offers her some peace whenever she was confused about anything. As you are lost in your love problem, I thought you will have a chance to think about it properly in this place."

Arnav stumbled back as Khushi hugged him at his words, shocking him in the process. His arms held her, not understanding her sudden actions. He wanted to ask her but stopped from speaking when he felt her silent tears wetting his shirt. Instead, he held her close to him, trying to provide the comfort that she needed.