HOLA! I am here with the next chapter. I recapped a bit, adding names and other stuff to the proposals, so the first part may be a bit...redundant. BUT ITS CUTE KAY. A lot of you guessed right as to which proposal belonged to who. SO GIVE YOURSELF A PAT ON THE BACK.
Chapter 36
Zoya's
POV
"Where
are you taking me? Grass? Why do I hear water? OMG! ARE YOU GOING TO THROW ME
INTO A LAKE? ASAD! YOU MADE ME GET DRESSED UP FOR THIS?"
"Don't
be silly." He laughed putting me down. "Now I am going to remove this
blindfold, open your eyes slowly." He whispered untying the blindfold. I
blinked quickly twice trying to get used to the light and gasped when I
actually opened my eyes.
"It's
so pretty." I whispered. In the middle of the backyard/lawn was a stone
gazebo, I think, if that is what you called it. There were flowers and candles
everywhere, and a table in the middle of it with two chair-couches.
I
felt his arms wrap around me and his chin landed on my shoulder.
"You
like it?" He asked.
"I
love it. This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me." I
whispered.
"Good."
He said before pushing me gently towards the table.
"I
have a present for you." He said as I finished the last bit of my food.
There was something up with him, he kept fidgeting and asking me to eat faster.
"Another
one?" I asked surprised.
He
nodded and reached under the table and pulled out a glass bottle with a cork,
there was a red rose on the inside with a note. What the hell? Is he trying to
show me a magic trick?
"Open
it." He encouraged looking almost scared. Okay then.
I
opened the bottle and turned it sideways, sliding the note out unrolling it. It
was a whole page of his writing - calligraphy.
Since you are reading this I think I finally
got enough courage to give this to you. I've been planning on finding a perfect
way to do this for weeks but nothing seems good enough. I was going to say all
of this out loud but I know that I'd forget everything as soon as I looked into
your eyes.
WHAT
WHAT WHAT? What is he doing? What is this?
I want to thank you for crashing into my
life, I know it was just a few months ago but it seems like its been years
since I first saw you. In a way it has been. I never thought I would find
someone like you, someone who is perfect for me, someone I could love this
much.
OMG
OMG OMG. AWWW. I could feel my eyes tearing up.
It's crazy how I fall more in love with you
every day, with your cute little habits, like the way you scrunch your nose
when you are confused, they way you hum while cleaning, the look on your face
when you can't figure something out and the smile that follows when you do. The
way you laugh at the smallest things and pout, the way you coo when you wake up
and stretch in the morning, the way you squint your ey, put your hand over your eyes and look through
your fingers as if it'll actually block out the light.
I
coo? I let out a little giggle at the last one and looked up at him, he was
still sitting there, his eyes wide. I went back to the note.
I am rambling now, the point is that I love
you, a lot, every little thing about you and sometimes I can't even explain how
much.
When I think about the future I see you in
it, right by my side for 100 years. I think of waking up beside you every
morning, watching you dance around the kitchen laughing, curling up on the
couch with you and hearing your take on everything. I am rambling again aren't
I? I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Every single
minute.
I
could feel tears stream down my face as my mouth opened in shock. My heart was
beating faster and my mind was running. I looked up across the table but he
wasn't there, he was kneeling beside my seat with a ring in his hand.
"Zoya
Farooqui, I love you. Will you please marry me?" He asked. I felt my mouth
move but no sound came out. On the inside I was screaming but I couldn't talk.
"Zoya?" He asked his eyes getting wider as if he thought I would say
no. I laughed and nodded, I threw myself at him which caused him to lose his
balance and fall backwards and onto the ground with me on top of him.
"Is
that a yes?" He asked.
"OF
COURSE IT IS A YES!" I said. A wide grin grew on his face as his lips
crashed onto mine.
"Wait!
The ring!" Asad got out between my attack. I laughed scrambling off of him as
he sat up and took my left hand and slid on the ring onto my finger. I gasped.
It was so beautiful, it was exactly...
"OMG!
How did you know?" I gasped looking up at him.
"I
asked your Aapi." He admitted, I could feel the tears again. Why was he so
perfect? He got me the exact ring I always wanted. The Tifanny Embrace, the
huge diamond in the middle was surrounded by little ones. I didn't know what it
was about this ring but it always seemed so beautiful to me.
He
held my hand in his and smiled. "It looks much better on you than it did in the
box."
And
that is when I burst out laughing again and attacked him.
X-X-X-X
Khushi's
POV
There
was a wooden deck overlooking the lake but the deck was lined with lanterns, a
small tree stood in the middle with lanterns dangling off it. And amidst all
the lanterns was a wooden table, set for two. It was so beautiful.
"Do
you like it?" A whisper came from behind me as those familiar arms wrapped
around my waist.
"This
is the prettiest thing I have ever seen." I whispered.
"Lies."
Arnav whispered. "You are the prettiest thing you've ever seen." He
said leading us over to the table.
"Fortune
cookies!" I squealed as he uncovered the last plate. "Why are there
so many?" I asked. There were like ten between the two of us.
"You
have to open all of them. This one first." He said handing it to me.
Okay
then.
I love your smile.
"What?
This isn't a fortune." I said, he just shrugged and handed me the next
one. What was he doing?
I love your eyes.
"But
Arnav-" I started to say but he just handed me the next one. What?
I love the sound of your voice, the way you
laugh and the way you make the weirdest animal sounds.
I
laughed at the last part, maybe I should have kept that talent a secret.
I love your heart. You are the kindest person
I've ever met, you put yourself out there for everyone and never ask for
anything in return.
Awww.
I smiled opening the next one. This is the cutest thing ever.
I love your mind. You are so intelligent and
thoughtful that it puts me in awe, I love how you aren't afraid to share and
stand by your opinion.
OMG.
I could feel the tears forming. I looked up at him but he just smiled swiping
his thumb over my right cheek before handing me the next fortune cookie.
I love your hair, it so soft and it smells
so good that I just want to bury my face in it.
I love the way you unconsciously play with
my hair when I lay down or how you always have your hand on my arm when we sit.
I love you. So so much that sometimes it
surprises me.
I
was literally crying by the time he handed me the last one. When I broke this
one open out came a diamond ring with another note.
Marry me?
My
eyes grew wide as I looked at the note and then at him.
"Wha-"
"Khushi,
I love you so so much. And I already told you that I intended on making you my
wife and I can't wait any longer. I don't want to be your boyfriend, I want to
be your husband, forever. So Miss Khushi Kumari Gupta, will you marry me?"
He asked picking up the ring and holding it out.
"Yes!"
I whispered crying. He smiled picking up my left hand and sliding the ring onto
my finger.
"If
you don't like the ring we can change-" He said before I interrupted him.
"I
love it. Almost as much as I love you." I said causing his face to break
info a grin. It was beautiful, he somehow pinned what I would like, I knew for
a fact that it was the Tiffany Soleste with the many trips Zoya liked to take
to Tiffany's. It was absolutely beautiful with a large square diamond in the
middle surrounded by smaller ones.
"I
love you Mrs Arnav Singh Raizada." He said. "Has a nice ring to it
no?"
"Khushi
Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada." I said. "It's like a tongue
twister." I laughed.
X-X-X-X-X
"Is that Zoya and Asad?" Khushi asked as they walked back to the
Mahal past the gazebo.
"Yeah." Arnav said looking at the
arrangement speculatively, there were candles and roses everywhere. It almost
looked like where he had just come from.
"Did you guys plan this togehter?" Khushi
laughed looking at him.
"No." Arnav laughed.
"KHUSHI!" Zoya's loud voice screamed from
the gazebo. Khushi and Arnav looked in her direction to see her frantically waving them over with a huge
smile on her face.
"No better time than now to tell her."
Khushi giggled looking at her ring as they walked over to where Zoya and Asad
were. Zoya whistled as Khushi got closer and her saree could be seen.
"Holy, Khushi you look HOT." She said
causing Khushi to blush as Arnav laughed.
"I could say the same about you." Khushi
replied.
"I have to tell you something." Zoya said.
"Me too!" Khushi replied.
"You first!" Zoya said.
"No you first!"
Arnav looked at Asad speculatively as Asad
looked at Arnav. They both recognized the goofy grins on each other's faces,
they were the exact same. Arnav's eyes shot to Zoya's left hand as Asad's did
to Khushi. They both looked back at each other and burst out laughing, they
would manage to propose on the same night at the same place without telling
each other of their plans.
Khushi and Zoya looked between the two
laughing men before they looked back at each other and shrugged.
"Let's do it together. On three." Zoya said
causing Khushi to nod.
"I AM ENGAGED!" Rang out simultaneously,
followed by simultaneous gasps.
"OMG! YOU TOO!" They both screamed. "THIS
IS SO EXCITING!" They yelled hugging each other and laughing. "SHOW ME YOUR
RING!"
Arnav and Asad watched amused as the two of
them gushed over their rings.
"I can't believe we did this on the same
day." Arnav laughed.
"They seem happy about it." Asad shrugged.
"I can't believe you didn't tell me. It
took you a million years to confess that you loved her and you popped the
question already?"
"It just felt right." Asad said as his
phone vibrated. He took it out to see 15 text messages. "They are all here."
"Who's here?" Zoya and Khushi asked.
"You guys really have to stop that, it's
getting creepy." Arnav said referring to them saying the same thing
simultaneously.
"Everyone except the parents are here."
Asad clarified.
"Are we telling them?" Zoya and Khushi asked
simultaneously.
"That really is creepy." Asad said.
"We'll see how it goes." Arnav shrugged.
X-X-X-X-X
The four of them stepped in the main foyer
to see Aman, Anjali, the kids, Ayaan, Najma, NK Nikhat and...Rehan?
"REHAN! What are you doing here?" Zoya and
Khushi yelled.
"I missed you guys?" He smiled.
"More like missed someone else." Khushi
mumbled to Zoya.
"Why are you all so dressed up?" Najma
asked.
"Yeah! You look pwettiew than my Bawbie!"
Riya exclaimed.
Anjali didn't even acknowledge anyone; she
was too busy looking at two hands, left hands, or more specifically, at what
was on the third finger of each left hand. No one saw it happening but all of a
sudden she was across the foyer and had Khushi's and Zoya's left hands up to
her face.
"Oh my God!" She cried examining
our rings. After studying them for a minute, she turned over to Arnav and Asad
and whacked both of them. "HOW COULD YOU NOT TELL ME? After everything I've
done for you two! You didn't find it necessary to tell me that you were
planning to do this?" She yelled at them.
"I am confused." Ayaan said.
"Main bhi."
"THEY ARE ENGAGED!"
"Asad aur Arnav nai engagement kar li, hai
bhagwan, Nani ko toh bahu chahiye thi, mil gaya...what is the hindi word for
son-in-law?" NK asked Najma.
"Shut up NK!" Arnav groaned.
"I think you should make a formal
announcement and spell it out for him." Aman laughed.
Asad pulled Zoya into his side. "We're
engaged." He said.
"Us too." Khushi beamed.
And all hell broke loose, there was
shouting and yelling, a whole bunch of hugging and kissing, a few eye rolls and
some very happy people. It was a while after everyone decided to retreat to
their rooms remembering that tomorrow was the big day.
X-X-X-X
"All right! Now let's go over this one last
time!" Khushi yelled. "Aman! Can you put the pictures up on the projector
please?"
Click me to see the runway! (IF is not letting me embed the pics. Sigh)
"Okay then. This is what the runway will
look like from the guest's point of view. You will enter from there, the left
staircase. As you hit the last stair you will be in full view of everyone,
there needs to be a slight pause and then walk towards the actual runway. Now I
assure you, there is very thick, unbreakable glass covering the water even
though you can't see it." Khushi explained as the models nodded.
Aman went to the next picture.
Click me!
"Now, this is what the runway looks like
once you get down the stairs in your point of view. You need to walk to the
end, stop and pose for all the photographers and then walk to the opposite side
of the run and walk back, you will use the right staircase to leave. Is this
clear?" Khushi asked. All the models nodded, still murmuring
"All right then. Aman, run a practice
trial." Arnav said causing all the models to scramble up and follow Aman.
"Why are they so scared of you?" Khushi
laughed as the last of them left.
"I am only this nice to my fiancee." He
smiled.
"Everyone keeps staring at my hand." Khushi
said, she hadn't missed all the whispering between the models and staff.
"Oh...and?" Arnav asked wondering what she
wanted to do about it. He wanted to tell everyone that she was his fiancee but
he wasn't exactly sure what she wanted.
"I think we should announce it soon. I
don't know how you handle this here, but I am guessing we announce it through
the PR and publicist?" She asked looking at a smiling Arnav.
"Ah, you leave that to me beautiful. Don't
you have models to scare right now?" Arnav asked.
"Di and Zoya have willingly volunteered for
the deed. Everything is going to be okay right?" Khushi asked.
"No." Arnav said causing her eyes to go
wide. "It's all going to be perfect."
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
"I don't care if you are a showstopper, you
don't get to choose. This is Khushi's vision and that is how it is going to
work, do I make myself clear? And if for some reason you cannot cooperate I am
sure there are plenty of models here who would love to be the showstopper."
Zoya arched her perfectly manicured eyebrow at her.
"Whatever." The model groaned before
walking off.
"Hey Zoya! Are you sure you aren't looking
for a job at AR? You have real talent in handling these...uh, women." Aman
asked causing Zoya to laugh.
"No thanks! I am just helping with this
because of Khushi." Zoya smiled. "By the way, where is this DJ?"
"Setting up by the runway. Why?"
"I just want to let him know that he won't
be getting paid if he plays that Fashion Ka Hai Jalwa' song."
"Don't worry. Arnav's already given him the
playlist and forbidden anything with words, only instrumentals."
"Classy." Zoya said.
"All right, can you tell her to stop
running around everywhere and go get ready, please. We got this." Aman said
looking across the room at Khushi who looked absolutely crazed.
"Will do boss!" Zoya said marching off
across the room and pushing Khushi inside.
X-X-X-X-X
"Shouldn't you wear Indian clothing
though?" Zoya asked as Khushi straightened her hair to utmost perfection.
"Then I would have to wear a certain designer
which would lead to more articles about what designer I am wearing and a comparison
of my line to that designers'." Khushi said. "And wearing something from your
own line is risque."
"Ah, you look so pretty though.
Professionally hot." Zoya said.
"You think so?"
"Oui oui!"
And she did look gorgeous in her Dolce
& Gabbanna black lace dress with sheer lace sleeves.
"I guess this is it then." Khushi said as a
knock sounded on the door.
X-X-X-X
An article published the next day:
A Night of
Surprises
For all you ladies out there that were struggling to find the
perfect blend between sexy and traditional Indian clothing, your struggle may
be over! Last night, AR Designs launched their Fall/Winter collection with a
new designer, Khushi Gupta. Never heard of her? Yeah, us either! Our sources
tell us she was brought up in New York and was an editor at Vogue. VOGUE. I
think that speaks for her talent in itself, Vogue doesn't just hire anyone
ladies!
Let us take you to, what I think will be the biggest and best,
fashion event of the century. AR always puts out the best, but this was the
best of the best. The location in itself was unique, Sheesh Mahal, an ancestral
palace owned by Arnav Singh Raizada. It was absolutely beautiful, every aspect
stunning but what blew us away was the runway. Lined with bright lights the
runway was one that we'd never seen before, the models walked down the stairs
away from the building and onto a ramp...on top of water. The audience, who sat
at the sides of the pool in comfortable couches, all let out a gasp as the
first model stepped onto the water...it was only then that people realized it
was covered in glass!
The designs were the perfect blend of traditional, sexy and
beautiful. Outfit after outfit didn't fail to impress. The colours, the
material and the accessories were all spot on. It is definitely is year of
pinks and golds, there were a plethora of beautiful lenghas within many sexy
sarees. We will leave you to drool over them as we did, I would hurry and order
them too, they are selling like hot cakes!
Click here to view the picture.
Beautiful aren't they? I am loving them so much, AR Fashion seems to
have struck gold with Khushi Gupta. And the biggest surprise of all is that
Miss Khushi Gupta is soon to be Mrs. Khushi Raizada. WHAT? You read right
ladies! It seems that she has enamoured the Arnav Singh Raizada. The couple
marched onto the runway after the fashion show hand in hand, she looked
splendid in her black lace Dolce and Gabbana dress and he was in a black tux,
but we thought nothing of it. That is until ASR started smiling, yes he smiles
and it is gorgeous, and praising her. While he was talking we didn't fail to
notice the huge rock on her ring finger that he kept touching. And of course
being the classy gentleman he is he turned over the mike to Khushi Gupta by
saying "I would like to pass on the mike to the person who made all of this
happen, I have no doubt that she will be India's biggest designer, my fiancee Khushi Gupta. And all hell broke
loose with gasps and talking. We also noticed the comforting squeeze he gave
her hand when all quieted down.
Now if the woman hadn't already wowed the audience with the fashion
show and the designs her sense of humour would have. She was absolutely classy
yet down to earth. I know many tongues will probably be wagging saying that she
only got launched because she is dating ASR but anyone who takes one look at
her designs and hears her talk will no that AR Fashion would have been dumb to
let such a talented person go. Also, remember that mystery woman that was
spotted with ASR at a family function a few months ago, yeah, it was no other
than Khushi Gupta herself.
Congratulations to AR Fashion and Khushi Gupta on making the biggest
hit and leaving all other designers trembling. Here's to the newest fashion
couple in town, Arnav Singh Raizada and Khushi Raizada (almost).
Epilogue: Page 88
Edited by astonm - 9 years ago
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