ArHi OS : Choti Si baat

'I hate you...'

'I hate you more..'

'I hate you to the power infinity'

'You are such a cry baby...'

'And you're such a ughh...'

'GUYSSS! Just stop it. What's going on?'

'Khushi, he started off with the argument. You know what he did? He freaking messaged that Aman from my cell phone, inviting him to my birthday party.'

'Don't deny it Vibha, deep inside your heart you also want it'

'Over my dead body'

'Guys! Just stop it, will you? See, it is economics lecture my favorite one. And I don't want to miss it cause of you guys. So lemme concentrate ok?'

'Khushi will you please switch your place with me? I do not want to sit beside this person'

'As if I am dying! I will be glad to have khushi as my partner'

'Promise me that you both won't shout after that'

'PROMISE' a unison reply of arnav & Vibha was what she got.

That was the first day khushi had talked to him, arnav. He was her childhood friend's sort-of-bestie. She hadn't liked him at the first place for he was college's biggest flirt. But gradually, she'd got into talking terms with him. The only thing she hated was his blatant flirting with her whenever she sat beside him after his fight with vibha, where she acted as the messenger between the two. As a result, she had started spending more time with arnav, so was to work on Vibha-aman's story, as arnav was sure both liked each other and khushi wanted good for her bestie.

It was one fine occasion of vibha's birthday, when she'd caught him staring at her longer than expected, for the first time.

'Khushi, did you see how arnav was staring at you tonight? as if you were the only person present in the whole hall'

Khushi blushed remembering his unnerving gaze on her the whole evening. she knew the reason to it, because he'd himself came up to her and complimented her saying You look beautiful tonight'.

'Yes, I know that.'

'You know what? I think he has a thing for you!'

'WHAT? Vibha, you are thinking too much. It nothing of the sort, so chill' khushi reassured Vibha, at the same time storing that statement of hers in her head too.

Shaking her head off the thoughts, she once again tried to concentrate on her class.

You know our college has been selected for the basketball championship in the college fest. Arnav & his team is representing our state.'

Wow, that's great' The girls chatted away merrily, whereas there stood a dejected soul who'd accidentally listened their conversation.

Wah! Mera betu aa gaya. Beta I have made your favorite halwa poori. Go freshen up fast, I will serve you' Khushi's mother Uthra, suggested her after looking at the dejected face of her daughter.

What happened? Kisine kuch keh diya kya?' Uthra asked concernedly ,for her chatterbox daughter had never been this quiet after returning from college.

Nothing maa, I am just tired. I want to rest, so I eat later, ok? And please, don't let anyone disturb me' Khushi replied & walked off to her room sadly.

She was sitting in college canteen thinking about him, and their times spent together in the same place, the same table. A particular memory made her cheeks turn red, out of embarrassment or shyness, was hard to comprehend.

Khushi, there's something stuck there'

Where?'

Over there' he'd guided her pointing from his fingers towards her lower lip, but she'd got the wrong message & had rubbed her chin instead. Few more failed attempts had made him stand & help her wipe the food particle stuck on her lower lip. Even after the particle had been wiped off, his thumb kept rubbing her quivering lower lip causing her to blush beetroot red.

The awkward moment followed after that, had been immediately brushed off by his jokes, which changed the atmosphere, something he was good at. But that day she had realized that she did felt conscious in his presence, which was definitely disturbing her.

Not working. Thinking that, she got up from her place & left for library. It was half day for college & with arnav's absence in the class, she'd decided to spend her time outside the class for she knew it would be difficult to spend time in there.

Entering the library, she took her usual seat. Picking a book, she turned few pages, only to think of arnav after reading the first sentence. Accidentally, she'd picked up a fiction, the name of the boy being arnav.

Not working. She got up from her place, keeping the book back, she walked towards their college's park. Popularly known as lover's point too, for most of the couples hanged out there only.

Looking at those couples, who were lost in each other, smiling, sharing laughs, blushing, she felt helpless & lonely all of a sudden, even with so many people around. Even Vibha had been too busy with aman to even talk to her. She smiled thinking how her biggest enemy was now her love interest. Really, feelings do change with season.

Khushi, I have something to confess' arnav said and took a deep breath, making khushi confused at what he'd to say. But somewhere at the back of her mind, a warning bell was ringing.

What happened arnav?'

I love you'

She gaped at him for few seconds, not knowing what to say or even if she knew that, she didn't know how to say.

He waited and waited for the reply, which didn't came his way. He saw that she was trying to say something but failing at it. He should've thought about her. Just because he had fallen for her, didn't mean that she'll love him back right?

Khushi, its ok. I totally understand if you don't feel the same for me. I just had to confess because keeping it to myself is a tedious job. But I hope this won't affect our friendship right?' he asked with a last hope. The last thing he wanted was to loose her as a friend. If she didn't felt the same for him, be it to that. But she was his friend first, and in no way he would want anything to change that equation between them.

Arnav, thanks for making this easier. And no, our friendship won't be affected by this' she smiled at him, to which he released the breath he was holding. He side hugged her and both walked to their class, well things had changed already.

1 week had gone by without any contact with arnav. This had made her crankier, which she'd never been. She used to get irritated quite easily, snapping at people had become her hobby. She was sitting in college park alone to not mess with people around, thinking as to why was she recollecting all her moments spent with him?

Khushi..' the familiar voice called her out, making her heart jump in excitement, her faded smile came back & she turned around.

Finally meeting him after so many days felt like ages to her. She almost ran towards him & threw her arms around him, hugging him tight. The force with which she had launched herself upon him, made him stumble back but he anyhow balanced.

.

Arnav hadn't expected this hug at all. In fact, even he'd missed her in the past week but he didn't know that she would've really missed him this much. A sudden rush of happiness engulfed him.

Aise karta hai kya koi? Do you even know what I was going through in this one week?' She questioned suddenly, breaking away from hug & looking at him with teary eyes.

Accha hua main gaya, pata toh chala hame kitna miss kiya jaata hai. So khushi, tumhe faraq padta hai na?' Arnav asked with a smirk on his face looking, she remembered a similar incident.

Students were asked to prepare a project on marketing management, in which they were paired together. So to complete the same, both decided to assemble at khushi's house daily after college and work on it. One fine day, arnav hadn't come back with her saying that he had some important work and that he'll come a little late. But he didn't come. Instead, his sister had called around 8pm to ask where he is ?

She was restless and worried about his whereabouts. After an hour of distress, she'd received a call from him. She'd let out all her restless to him, shouted him and scolded him for being careless to have not called her. He'd not said anything else than asking her,' tumhe kyu farq padta hai?'

What possibly would've she replied? So saying I care for you because you are my FRIEND'

No, I definitely do not give a damn' She replied, coming back from her reverie of that horror night and pushed him back, trying to control her heartbeats, which was pacing up due to their proximity. Hell, she'd lost her control again in front of him.

Oh really? So why were you literally hanging on me like half-a-min ago?' He asked her, raising his eyebrow in his typical fashion, the smirk still intact on his face.

Wo..I...You'd gone without informing me, so I was scared. That's it.' She tried moving away but he blocked her way again. He'd had enough of it. After his confession, he'd often seen khushi casting shy glances his way, reddening of her cheeks whenever he flirted with her or complemented her and the way her form stiffened when he was near her. He knew she'd started feeling for him, which gave him immense pleasure.

What? Arnav, I am getting late. I need to go' Khushi wasn't escaping. It was just becoming so awkward. Her heart was already hammering, she was not able to think coherently and to add to her misery arnav wasn't letting her go. After the confession, she'd felt the things between them, changing a lot. He used to pay extra attention to her, surprise her with gifts, chat with her till late in night, which she secretly used to like but had never voiced out the same.