|Collab|ArShi SS: My Best Friend's Wedding *Answers* Pg 78 *22/01 - Page 17

Khushi was always the chirpy, vivacious young lady, who feared almost nothing. It never came easy to her. She was too bright and colorful to be anything but fearful.

Then what was the emotion she could feel deep down in her heart, as she stood near the arrivals gate at the Delhi airport? Delhi!! The place held too many memories. Both good and bad, Khushi thought bitterly. This place had given her too much remembrance. She sighed intensely as she walked further down the gate to spot an oh-so-familiar face of certain Raizada.

"Once a latecomer, always a latecomer!" She thought out loudly twenty minutes later, when her patient level started to run out. She looked back towards the arrivals gate and found it almost deserted apart from few airport workers. She dropped her matching hand bag over her pink suitcase and furiously unzipped it to call Lavanya to check where was the devil.

Think of the devil and there he was.

"Well hello to you too, Princess!" The sudden dark, husky voice from the back frightened Khushi, making her spill the Starbucks coffee she was holding on her black denim jeans.

"F***!" She let out a curse with gritted teeth as she turned to look up to meet the dark, brown orbs that have haunted her nights for years now.

Their eyes met and instantly the whole atmosphere faded around them. Just the two of them. The vast airport fell shot due to their brewing chemistry and Khushi suddenly felt suffocated. Nothing changed in these 5 years, he was same, arrogant, rude, insensitive and dominating. And his eyes, those sinful eyes still made her unsettle. The way he used to look at her and the way he was looking at her was same which made her tiny golden hair of her nape raise in excitement. What was it with Arnav who never failed to consume here? His dark eyes, his arrogant nose and his mocking lips about which he was proud off. Looking at him he did not realize that the coffee almost soak her favourite pair of jeans making a big wet spot. If it was some other time she would have tore the person by now who freaked her out like a jerk, calling her from behind. But the very man was Arnav, Arnav Singh Raizada who did not seem to take his eyes off her.

**

Seeing her after years made one thing crystal clear to Arnav Singh Raizada. He had made a mistake, a severe one at that. But he would be damned before admitting it himself. Too much male pride! The Ego which made him what he is.

A lot has changed since he had last set his eyes on her, yet nothing had. Ironic much? She was beautiful then. She was beautiful now! If anything, she was more beautiful than ever. Her hazel eyes showed a hint of apprehension at the moment and he was taken aback for half a second.

She was afraid!

The realization came as a shocking revelation and it made him uneasy instantly. Was she afraid of him?, came the next question into his mind!

Arnav had known Khushi almost all his life, right from her high school. And if there was one thing he had learned about her without any uncertainty, then it was that fear didn't come easily to her. It was the emotion, which came rarely to experience in her eyes because of him made his heart clenched in a silent agony.

Seeing her facial expressions changed to the "Signature feisty Gupta", Arnav let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Ooh, Princess swears." His voice showed no hint of the almost panic he experienced less than a minute ago. If anything, he was amused. Sarcasm came naturally to him and right now, it dripped onto every word that came out of that luscious mouth of his.

He shook his head vigorously, as if disapproving the use of foul language.

**

While Arnav was in the verge of mocking her, she was in her own little world, which was buried for 5 years and suddenly it surfaced now.

Gorgeous!

Khushi knew she should avert her gaze from his but she couldn't. It was as if someone else was taking over the control of her body and she could do nothing except act accordingly to the ghostly power.

He was gorgeous!

He was an epitome of flawlessness. His dark black hair blended with perfection with his slightly tanned skin. Loose strands of his hair faultlessly framed his oval shaped head. His dark brown eyes, as he stared right through her, sent a shiver run down her spine. Khushi couldn't help but stare at the perfection that was his face. His thick dark eyebrows were slightly raised as if contemplating something.

He was someone else's! The thought shook her entire body, and the deep little corner in her heart bruisded some more as if someone had put salt in her wound. Somehow she couldn't get used to the pain she felt whenever she thought of him. It was as if it increased with the passing time. It was next to impossible for Lavanya to convince Khushi to be her bridesmaid. Only she knew what it took on her part to agree to her best friend's constant pleas. And she because the bridesmaid. Like the pain of seeing him become someone else's wasn't enough. She let out a mock inner chuckle as she stared at the person before her.

"If you are done checking me out and thinking what you have missed, let me tell you I don't have all day, Miss Gupta. And keep your thinking with yourself and do not waste my time. What's gone is gone so you better keep a check on those fake innocent eyes. Now if you don't mind, shall we?" Arnav's voice brought Khushi out of her thoughts and she tried to focus her gaze on Arnav. She blinked rapidly to clear her vision and tried to give it back to him, but somehow as if her mind got jumbled and she forgot the basic ABCD. She picked up her hand back and set the handle of her trolly suitcase then dumped her coffee cup in the nearest dustbin nodded a minute later, when her mind started to function normally.

**

Arnav watched as Khushi nodded timidly. His expression remained impassive as the duo made their way out of the arrivals area, towards the parking lot. He knew Khushi deliberately lagged behind so that she doesnot have to walk beside him and the thought made him more angry. Once they were the best dance duo in the collage, where people used to give their example how prefect they looked and how flawlessly they did their foot-work. And here they were. In rage, he walked a little faster than her taking long steps, while the insult took over his brain completely. He had only taken a few steps towards the parking lot when he realized Khushi wasn't with him. He turned back and let out a mental cuss as he saw Khushi struggling with the luggage carrier.

Women, he thought. No correction, particularly this woman, she would die but she would never take help from him. Was not that what she used to do in the college as well? Pride... to hell with her and to hell with her pride. He was almost in the verge of turning when a man deliberately brushed Khushi's shoulder and she almost toppled and fell on the ground. Arnav watched her wince in pain and he had a sudden urge to haul the man straggle him to death for pushing her but his eyes went towards his point of interest. She was looking all the more sexy. Her top slid up a little exposing her milky waist, her jacket slid down from her shoulder exposing her tube top. Oh my gosh, he thought seeing her dressed like that. He can never imagine Khushi in a tube top. He saw her getting up from the ground and composing her. Sliding her hand inside the jeans pocket, she took out a black band to tie her hair then casually she bunched her long, silky hair in a messy bun. And oh no, that did not turn him off. In fact it was the final nail in the coffin. His potency kicked seeing his lustrous creamy long neck, which held her beautiful face and he fought with the sudden urge to touch her and check whether her skin feels the same as it use to feel 5 years back?

Walking up to the stunning beauty that Khushi was, Arnav grabbed the trolley handle forcefully. He sensed her protest but one glare was enough for her to shut up and let her follow him silently.

Laad Governor! He heard her mutter that pathetic nickname she had given him ever since the college days. He couldn't help the almost invisible smile that crept his lips. Something hadn't changed for sure.

Once all the luggages were placed away in the boot of the car, Arnav and Khushi were on their way to the Kashyap Mansion. Kashyap Mansion was located in the outskirts of Delhi, highlighting the gorgeous greenery in the hectic city that Delhi was. As the car passed through the busy highway, Arnav couldn't help stealing a couple glances at Khushi. She was looking straight ahead and sometimes towards her left side. He knew it very well that she was deliberately avoiding him. Since Airport, it was he who spoke to her and she was all quiet and aloof. He checked her out. She was stiff, fidgeting with her fingers. Pink nail polish, enhanced her skin tone, he thought. But the away her fingers behaved it was evident that she was definitely afraid. Of what?, he didn't know. Or maybe he did but wasn't ready to admit just yet.

Apart from the constant screeching of the passing cars, the car held ice-cold silence. The thick silence grew as Arnav gave more pressure on the gas pedal taking out his frustration or maybe just to get a single word out from her mouth he did not know.

**

The sudden increase in the car speed brought Khushi out of her thoughts. She looked ahead of her and the almost blurry visions due to the high speed of the car brought her childhood fear of fast cars. Flashes of the unclear visions came to her mind, frightening her in the process. It took her a while before she found her voice. She gasped as the car zoomed past few other cars wobbling a little. Placing her hand on the dashboard she closed her eyes and finally the words were out.

"Slow down the car, Arnav."

Her voice almost a cry as she tried to control the urge to yell out loud due to her fear. Clenched hands, eyes closed vigorously, face dripping every bit of fear Khushi felt.

He watched her and immediately retrive his pressure from the gas paddle. And as if sensing the fear through her plea, Arnav slowed down the car.

After a good few seconds, Khushi opened her eyes hesitantly. Her being much calmer but not yet fully composed. She released her clenched palms and looked ahead slowly. They were moving on an average speed.

"Thanks." She said in that small voice of her's, throwing her head back on the head rest of the seat. Arnav nodded almost guiltily, as he kept his face emotionless. And as if that voice of her brought out the Pandora's box, Arnav was drifted back to the college days, almost 5 years back.

**

"Tell me one thing no one knows about you." Arnav teased her

"And why would I do that?", Khushi looked at Arnav over her reading glasses.

"Because if you don't, I'll walk out of that door and never return for that so called project of yours."

"You wouldn't do that, Arnav."

"Oh I would, trust me.", He narrowed his eyes and searched her pretty face.

"Just because you are my subject of research for my project doesn't mean you can use that against me to get me to do something."

"I take that as a no. I'll see you around then?" He took those spectacles and folded it and kept it in his pocket.

"Arnav, stop being a jerk." She tried to take back her glasses.

"I give you five seconds to decide." He held her wrist to stop her.

"Arnav, what's wrong with you? Why are you being so persistent?"

"4."

"Arnav what-"

"3."

"Emotional blackmailer."

"2."

"Okay, fine. I give up."

"Now that's my princess!"

"Ew. Don't call me that, you jerk."

"So go on then. One thing no one knows about you." he suddenly pulled her towards him and held her waist lightly

"Hmm I am.. first promise, you won't say this to anyone." She looked at him through her lashes and bit her lips.

"Ooh I like the sound of this. I promise." Secretly wanting to bit her lips, just the way she bit herself few second back.

"I am terrified of speeding cars."

Chapter Two