ArHi FF: Teenage Love- Imp A/N pg146 - Page 65

Originally posted by: vnithya97

i read all the seven parts 2gthr 😊 !!!!
its AMAZING!!! 👏 update fast!!!

Originally posted by: emistry

JUst caught the last 2 chapters!! Wow.. they were awesome ( for the lack of better words)

Haha.😆 Dont worry, this word is enough to descibe alot.😳

😆

Liked how they are getting closer, she is slowly letting arnav out of his shell ,and be comfortable around her, and I love that he is dropping his guard!!!

Oh yeah, certainly.😳 Its their road to progress.😊😊

Fell so bad for khushi and her mom, but arnav become a support for her right now, and they are going to be bonded by that, something her mom didn't have.. so she will always have arnav!

Oh yeah, you caught that ne exactly on the spot.😉😉

Liked how you put in tidbits of akash and anjali, with them spying on arnav, and anji thinking about shyam!!!

Too good Yaar!!

Thankyou so mcuh dear.🤗

Soon his shift was over, a lot more later than usual at 9:00 when he had to report back at the hostel that was in an adjoined block with the school. Sipping his cup of coffee, that had been very generously been offered to him by the receptionist, they both acquired an empty table, and sat together taking in the blissful aroma of fresh Ivory Coast coffee.

"So, you talked to that girl again?", the jolly receptionist, named Julie a girl of about 19, pretty, short heighted with a broad smile, asked him while still sipping her coffee.

"Nope. Saturday is a holiday" he stated, looking up at the red painted plank of wood whose edges only earlier he had smoothened, just in case a customer ended up with a wounded finger or hand

"Oh, you didn't get her phone number did you?", she asked casually, moving up her glasses with her fingers, making him automatically smile a lot more wider than he usually did.

"What happened? Don't look at me as if I did something out of the ordinary." The girl remarked with fake amusement, apparently confused as to why he had suddenly started smiling away madly.

"She did it the same way, back in the Chemistry class", he said fondly, his smile still lingering on his lips but not as big as it had originally been.

"You noticed her a lot didn't you? You like her?", Julie asked grinning at him, as he slightly blushed and looked away, and then looked into his friends eyes, a look of seriousness over shadowing his feelings for the girl they were talking about.

"Maybe I do, but I guess I won't be having much to do with her now. I told you she stands a lot better chances with other guys then someone not so happening like me", he said grimly, putting another piece of his Cinnamon bun in his mouth, munching it in a disorderly fashion

"You did say, she was enjoying your company, and then you never know a girl, maybe she actually likes you too", Julie told him convincingly, taking a juicy bite of her small extra cheese pizza.

"Well, I think she did, but then I could be wrong. In fact I think I am wrong. *pause* Anyways, we shouldn't be talking about her now, I have a lot better things to do then mess my life involving girls in it", he remarked not very pleased with the thought of her, but then he wasn't the kind who ran away from their feelings, something somewhere had softened down a bit for that girl in red glasses he knew that, but wasn't in the position to pursue it.

"What did you say, what was her name again?", Julie asked him back, making a thoughtful expression, not willing to have him shove past the topic just like that. She really liked the person he was, and his life she knew was really hard like hers was, and so a little bit deviation here and there wouldn't be of much harm to anyone.

"Anjali Singh Raizada", he said stoutly, getting up from his seats, after having finished his cup of coffee, and soft cinnamon bun, keeping the empty dishes on the counter for the next shift staff to take in. Paying his money to the other receptionist, he bid goodbye to his friend Julie, who looked deeply annoyed with his shoving past attitude, and awkwardly waved at him, before he disappeared out of the parlor, and onto his way back to the hostel.

****************************************

Aakash and Anjali sat on the couch their eyes stuck on the door, none actually interested in watching 'How I met your mother', just for the time being. It was a mutual favorite between the two of them, but for now their thought were consumed up with more important things, as they kept looking back and again waiting for the doorbell to ring, since the past half an hour.

"Are they making pastries at her house? What in the world is taking them so long to return?", Aakash asked in a highly disapproving tone, having had an annoying glare thrown his way by Anjali.

"How many time's more do you plan to ask me the same question? It's the fourth time, since the last half an hour. What is it with the pastry fever and you?", she asked him back, raising her eyes brows at him, with him fixing his glasses back on his nose and looking away from her irritated.

"Nothing. You watch your Ted- Marshall craziness, I will go call Chotte", he said crossly and got up from the couch off to get his cell phone, but Anjali made a quick grab for his hand and pulled him back to the couch with a thud.

"Anji, are you insane? You rattled my brains within me!", he shouted at her aggravated, to which she sheepishly looked at him for a seconds, before soon after was back to putting that hard stare on her face.

"Good thing if that happened. It would probably knock some memory into you. We both saw Chotte not taking his mobile with him.", she said in an infuriated tone, which was suppressing the effect of confusion in her voice, seeing her happy go lucky brother reacting so angrily right now.

Aakash said nothing further, and turned his face away from her trying to concentrate on Barney and Teds gay talk in which he would have laughed mad at, under normal circumstances but right now he just didn't feel right to do either of that.

"Aakash look at me, what is there cooking in your brain, you are making me scared acting like this." Anjali said worriedly, keeping her hand on his shoulder, trying to get something out of him but he chose to remain silent, that anger not subsiding.

"Don't be such a Piglet the Pink Anji, nothings wrong with me" he said not letting his eyes meet with his sister, who hadn't flinched slightly and was still looking at him suspiciously.

"Are you waiting for Khushi to return?", she asked him back skeptically, having him look at her finally with wide eyes, and then brushing of the look with one of vexation.

"Well of course I am! Are you not?", he fired back at her, making Anjali look at him with a more dubious look at him than ever before.

"I am, but not as impatiently as you. *pause* You aren't planning to experiment one of your crazy pranks on her are you? (Indignantly) Don't you even dare do that if that is why you are waiting for her! Choate is going to dig you in your grave alive" she said with a hint of finality in her voice, exasperated even at the idea of how mischievous her brother could be. But as she looked into his non expressionless eyes, she knew her answer just then, she was wrong, he wanted Khushi to return for something else.

"You and Choate are enough samples for me to experiment my stuff on you two all my life, (his voice trailing off) I need to talk to her about someone", he said seriously, a small smile lightening up his face, making his handsome boyish features come to life.

"Who?"

"Payal" he said with a hint of fondness, and immediately kept his hand on his mouth from speaking any further, horror evident in his eyes. Oh danm it! He had just told the last person on Earth he would like to tell of his intentions regarding the girl he had just met two days earlier.

"Payal? Why?", Anjali asked back incredulously in a high pitched voice, her glasses almost falling down from her nose and landing in her outstretched palm that was resting on her thigh.

Aakash felt like bombarding Anjali with a thousand dynamites, so that she would just vanish from the face of Earth. What was he thinking telling her about his feelings for Payal? Not that he had been specific, but that sister of his he knew could become one smart ass if she wanted to know something truly desperately. Before he could think of an effective answer to shut her up, the door bell rang, and he heaved the biggest sigh of relief, praying to as many Gods he knew existed, and seeking his chance jumped over the couch, and opened up the door in a hurry seeing a heavily panting Arnav and Khushi standing, their faces red with carrying the hard wood plank as well as the added pressure of the heat from the Sun.

Giving them the biggest smile ever, leaving both of them perplexed looking at each other, he effectively took the hard board from their hands, and took it to Arnav's room as Arnav closed the door behind, both he and Khushi trying to catch their breathe. Anjali was still sitting at the couch in bafflement, and turned around sharply to face him with big saucer shaped eye balls that as she took the sweaty sight of them dilated. Brushing off the conversation she had with Aakash, she rushed over to the two of them, and beckoned them to sit on the couch, while she got glasses of cold water for them, which they took drank off in a single gulp.

Their pulse rate still taking its time to come back to normal, they sat for a few more minutes on the couch, after which Arnav went inside the room before Khushi followed him inside. Anjali too went in after them, where Aakash was already there making a sufficient workplace for them to do the project, placing sheets of news papers, and all the materials in an orderly manner, the hard board kept in the center, which would act as the base of the project.

"Bhai? What are you doing?" Arnav asked back amazed, at how his brother was setting up the things as if it was his project and not Arnav's.

"Just setting up the things for the two of you, I thought you could use the help, and since I am low on homework this week, so I could spent my time helping you two" Aakash said trying to sound as humble as possible, making most of his eye contact with Khushi, who for the first few minutes looked a bit uneasy, but soon settled for the friendly look Aakash was giving to her.

Arnav was as confused as Anjali was, and looked in her direction who was standing clueless as to what Aakash was trying to get too, shrugging her shoulders as Arnav threw a questioning look at her, quickly looking away getting no answer of subsistence from her.

"That is so considerate of you,'", Khushi said cutting short, fiddling for how to address Aakash with.

"Erm, you can call me Bhai" he said cheerfully, putting up his best manners, causing Anjali and Arnav both to flinch, as they kept shooting looks at him which he very gracefully ignored.

"Oh okay, we could surely use the help Bhai", she said giving him a small smile, and went forward herself to help Aakash set up the things, leaving a rigid Arnav standing at the corner of the room, still trying to clear up his thought processes. What the hell was Bhai getting from impressing Khushi? He surely, hadn't fallen for her or had he? Anjali was as baffled as he was, but anyways walked towards the duo that was working putting everything together, as they were finally done with it, she trying to join her gaze with Aakash who was busy looking away.

As they were done, Khushi looked at Anjali who she hadn't had a proper introduction from, since the last time they had met, which had been under very harsh conditions.

"Hey, I am sorry we never got any chance to talk. Before you start fidgeting with what to address with me, you can call me Di that is what Chotte refers to me with" Anjali said to Khushi giving her a warm smile, making Khushi immediately like his sister. She gave her a sweet smile in response, and sat on the floor on one corner, Anjali and Aakash taking the other two corners next to eachother. Before Aakash could sit, Arnav had already grabbed his shoulder and pulled him to a side much to Khushi's surprise, and Anjali's amusement.

"Bhai, what the hell are you doing there helping us and all? Is this to impress Gupta?", he said fiercely making Aakash look at him with widened eyes.

Keeping his hand on Arnav's shaking shoulder, "No ways Chotte, I would never set my eyes on something that you like, I am trying to get to her cousin through her", he said winking at him, and went over to sit on the corner he had occupied, leaving Arnav making a gross expression on his face. What cousin was he talking about? His two crazy siblings at this would get him to no where, with an added advantage of a nutty Gupta, this project had no bright future.

Still annoyed, he took his corner that was on the other end to where Khushi sat, studying the books he had left with genuine interest while his other two siblings kept passing glares at eachother, on loggerheads as always.

"We can make a whole human body", Khushi said excitedly pointing a large scale diagram on the book she was holding moving in towards, and making him have a closer look at it.

"We are just supposed to make a working model of a heart", he reasoned back, her smile not fading, as she explained her idea to him. She proposed that they make all the other parts of the human body with thermo pole, and the heart which was supposed to be the center of attention with clay and plaster of Paris, and pass the flexible colored glass tubes that she had told him about earlier, through the heart as arteries and veins showing their ends out of the human body.

As she revealed her idea, Arnav looked at her genuinely impressed at how creative she was, to think up of something like that, which would not only gain them extra marks but make a really good impression on the teacher.

"Khushi, that's a splendid idea!" Aakash said excitedly, as she widely smiled at him, Arnav shooting an aggravated look at him.

"What do you say, Raizada?", she looked at Arnav hopefully, who took his time pondering over the idea some more and gave in his consent to it. Giving him a broad smile too, she looked at Anjali who bobbed her head in a not mistaken yes, and so the foursome got to work with it.

The work was divided in two pairs, Aakash and Anjali who were both very good at drawing so they were to make the other parts of the human body, while Arnav and Khushi worked onto getting the heart model done. Working on two different ends of the room, the two pairs sat together, each having a book of their own, tracing papers, drawing pencils and paints on Anjali-Aakash's side while clay, plaster of Paris and all the messy material was on Arnav Khushi's side.

So as not to spoil the tiled floor, Khushi laid down the large sheets of plastic paper and aligned them perfectly, away from the wind of the centralized AC so that its light breeze would not cause the paper to flow away. Arnav on the other hand as she laid the sheets, kept the box of plaster of Paris and the brown muddy clay along with the two boxes containing flexible glass tubes of red and blue color. Having Set up all their materials, they both sat together, looking at the diagram carefully, Arnav having rolled up his sleeve to the upper end of his hand, while Khushi pulled back her braid to the back tucking in all strands of hair that were coming on her face.

"What size are we supposed to make it?" Khushi asked Arnav, who was thinking of the same thing racking her brains for the size that would suit perfectly

"Don't make the main body Bhai and Di, leave it for later when the rough structure of the heart is made" he shouted out to Anjali and Aakash who were both busy drawing, and gave him a thumbs up sign getting back to work again. Arnav was looking at them in a highly flabbergasted way unable to process how they were actually trying to help him and Khushi into making a worth presenting model, when all they had previously done is turn their backs at him, he suspected a secret agenda behind their help, but as long as they were coming to good use for the first time ever, he didn't really give much thought to it and pushed his mind to get back to work.

Tapping on his shoulder, "How about this size?", she said showing it with her hands the size of the heart evidently a lot larger than he had wanted to make. He kept his palm on the backside of both her palms and drew them closer to eachother, the distance between them reducing and stopped when he was satisfied with the size now that the hands were portraying. All this while Khushi was looking deeply into his eyes and back to her hands, his hands on hers as if they were sticking together under the effect of strong fevicol.

He looked up into her eyes, silently asking if she agreed and she lightly bobbed her head up and down, him keeping his hands sticking to hers a for a little longer, after removing it looking away from a blinking her who was trying to escape back into reality.

Aakash on the other hand had looked up momentarily to look up at the two having their silent moment, nudging Anjali hard, and making her look too at what he was very fascinated at. "They look adorable", he said fondly, smiling a bit, Anjali next to him doing the same thing, until a slight frown flickered on her face, removing the smile

"Forget them, you still haven't told me why you want to know of Payal from her? *pause* Don't tell me you have fallen for Payal.", she said noting down the change in expressions on Aakash face, the last one being of utter annoyment.

"Even if I did I wouldn't tell you, after all you didn't leave any stone unturned to have me looking maddening in front of her", he said in a steely tone, very unlike the juvenile Aakash he usually was.

"What did I do?", she said in an hushed tone, her both eyes stuck on Aakash that were looking at her fiercely.

"Didn't you tell her I was a pain in the ass?", he asked back narrowing his eyes at her in fury, while she gave him a distant look, and looked away trying to re trace the memory he was referring too.

"So what? Are you not?", she said suddenly, deeply offended at the way he was blaming her for something that was hardly inches away from the truth.

"You are no good Anji. Now it's going to take me so much of work to make a good impression on her", he said in a huff, concentrating back on his work having Anjali stare at him madly.

"But..wait, do you like her? If you do, I can help you out with knowing more of her, she's a good friend of mine", Anjali offered, excited at the prospect of her brother hooking up with one of her friends, she personally adored the girl a lot, it wound't be too bad having her knock some sense in her brother.

"No Thank you, the next time I know, she'll tell me, that you called me a whiny puss", he shot out at her angrily, not as much looking at her, as she shook her head in vexation and went back to concentrating on the drawing of the fingers she was making.

On the other hand, Arnav and Khushi had finally agreed on the size of the heart and had molded the clay according to their needs, looking at it approvingly, as both taking either side of the heart started to carve the atria's, ventricles, arteries and veins, leaving enough space for the valves and the cardiac muscular wall called septum. Khushi had taken the left side, and Arnav the right, as she was done making the wall that separated the two side of the heart, making a similar wall between the atrium and ventricle, making the edges smooth, and avoiding any possible cracks. Arnav looked up from his part to see hers which was sculptured really nicely, except for the septum he noted was the same size as his was. Their was supposed to be a notable difference in the septum of the two sides, since the blood pressure on the left ventricle was greater than that on the right.

"Gupta, make the septum a bit more hard and wider, the septum backing the left ventricle is larger than the right, yours looks almost identical to mines", he informed her of her mistake, as she looked up to what he was talking about and embarrassed a bit at her error nodded at him thankfully, immediately started working on the septum. He was now making the pulmonary artery, and the superior and inferior vena cava, her on the other hand carving out the basics of the largest artery the aorta, finely dividing its end into branches that it divided later taking into special consideration to make the space hollow where the flexible glass tubing would fit

Done with making the rough foundation of the model, they both inched back a bit from the heart they had made admiring it at the beauty of it even in all its simplicity.

"It looks perfect,", she remarked in admiration as he slowly nodded agreeing with her, the clay still wet clinging on to his fingers in a inhumanly manner, already penetrating way under his nails, making them look a muddy brown.

"We should get the tubing inserted while the clays still wet.", she told him, as he was going through the same thought, picked up the box red tubing and handed it over to her, the blue one for himself, and they opened it winding open a 5 m long magnificent colored tubing. She awed at it for a second taking in the enthralling sight of its beauty, and turned to gaze at Arnav who was looking at his own blue one with almost the same expression as hers.

She made a grab for the scissors, Arnav's hand landing on hers too as he too wanted the same scissor.

"I grabbed it first, I am taking this one", she said haughtily as he restoring back to the boy he was shook his head and snatched the scissor directly out of her fingers.

"Now its mine", he told her evenly, receiving an ugly scowl from her, as she walked away from him and over to Anjali and Aakash returning back with an even bigger and finer scissor than the one he was holding smirking at him largely.

He quickly looked away, to hide the displeasure he felt at her getting the better thing, as she picked up the fevicol liquid glue, and started putting bits of in the hollow spaces of clay she had made marking the way of the blood through the arteries and veins. Pressing them in the mould of the clay, she winded the tube in accordance to the path of the blood taking careful measurements. On the other hand Arnav was doing the same thing, but having a real hard time figuring out how he was supposed the get valves working. Suddenly an idea snapped in his mind, and we went away from the room to the kitchen bringing two plastic bottle caps, and looked at Khushi in envy with the better pair of scissors. He considered the idea of asking her to give them to him, but he knew she never would, so dropped the idea and started to work with his blunt scissors.

For a while now Khushi was silently noticing him looking at her scissors, and then back at the bottle caps mentally laughing over his state. She knew he wanted to ask her for the scissors, but couldn't really keep his ego aside, and so she herself extended her clay covered hand forward, with scissor being pointed at him.

"Here, take it.", she said generously, expecting him to roughly shake his head or something of that kind, but he promptly took it as if he had been waiting for the opportunity since ages now. She quickly looked away, and started giggling away to herself, amused at his odd ways but then some part of her had already began to adore him for that reserved nature of his.

Done with her part, and the tubing all in place, she gave a final press to them, and left the wet clay to dry inching back towards the wood of the bed, resting her tired back against it, which she had been bending since a long time making the model. Arnav did not pay much notice to her who had arched her back towards the bed, but now was going towards Bhai and Di to help them. He shook his head slightly and got back to work, twisting and turning the soft plastic of the cap, into a fan shaped like a small valve, and inserting, the bicuspid and tricuspid valve in between the blue tubing, twisting in the hollows he had made and making the tubing outside, to where it was supposed to go out of the body.

On the other side, Anjali and Aakash were almost done, with all the parts with Khushi helping too, as Anjali done with her quota, looked at the black bordered wall clock on the design painted wall, letting out a loud gasp, as she noted the time on it.

"3:30! Time has just flown by!" she shouted out loud, diverting all the attention, towards herself, as everybody eyed her with wobbly eyes, them following her gaze all the way to the clock.

"No wonder my stomachs grumbling", Aakash remarked, keeping the pencil aside after having drawn the final body part.

Anjali stood up giving him a glare, and went out of the room, to fix something decent for themselves, while Khushi stayed behind helping Aakash number the body parts in the order they were to be put, and then neatly shoving all the excess materials aside, got into a lively chatter with him, while Arnav kept looking at them now and then scowling away at them, afterwards getting back to his work again, still putting his final touches on the tubing he was inserting.

"So Khushi, I met your cousin two days earlier in my Additional Mathematics class, Payal" Aakash said bringing the topic of interest forward for a minute catching Khushi off guard with the sudden twist in conversation from her personal life, to suddenly of her cousin.

"Oh yeah, Jiji told me about that", Khushi stated briefly, looking at Aakash very closely, thinking if it was actually what she thought it was. He seemed to be telling her of the entire meet in their class all over again just like Payal, amusing her all the more, blushing here and there with that pour of fondness very evident in his voice. She could see how his eyes had merrily widened when she had mentioned of her Jiji telling her about him, and if she was not very much mistaken a slight flush of red was also showing on his cheeks.

But as the conversation proceeded, she realized that he was being very specific with talking about Payal her likes and dislikes disclosing his own in the process, trying to get out as much information as possible from Khushi. She was trying so hard not to laugh, and not let that smirk come on her face, finally sighing in relief as Anjali called him to the kitchen in a high pitched voice, him profusely excusing him self that annoyment of being disturbed all over his face. He gone she and Arnav were left alone in the room, and not being able to control her laughter she went mad giggling away, letting that big smirk surface on her face, not noticing how speechlessly Arnav was staring at her, making a mental note of her untimely craziness.

"Gupta, have you gone madder than you are?", he asked her looking straight in her direction, her laughter dieing away for a second, but much to his surprise she didn't stop, and walked to where he was sitting, taking her place cross legged next to him. He had almost done cleaning up the mess they had made, and had shoved the heart to a side where it would be subjected to the breeze given by the AC, helping the model to dry away quicker.

"Oh Shut up Raizada! *pause* (smirking) I think your brother likes my Jiji", she chided, pulling at his arm so that he would listen to her, which he even without the gesture applied was listening

"Who is your Jiji?", he asked back confused, not aware of the person she was referring to for starters, and not even knowing what exact relationship she was talking about calling someone 'Jiji'.

"Payal Jiji, she's my cousin, the same age as Bhai and Di, and they even share some classes together" she informed him smiling broadly, at the prospect of her Jiji finally having a boyfriend, which she had been unable to find due to her reserved and quite nature. Aakash seemed to be a really good sport, kind of opposite to how her cousin was like, but still she knew they'd get along well.

Arnav recalled the conversation he had with Aakash and of his stating about getting to some cousin of hers through Khushi. So this was the cousin he was talking about. He thought to himself, sighing in relief, at being at full liberty to now chuck out the thought of his brother having developed some feelings for Khushi. It was a much dreaded thought, he didn't know why, but it didn't feel right, as if something he owned was at stake.

"We should help them", she proposed to him, receiving a non chalant look from him, as expected.

"Bhai knows how to sort his stuff out, besides there is no need for us to intervene. *pause* Come on, we should be out on the table, or Di will shout the house down", he said rolling his eyes, as she looked at him with a narrowed expression, and thinking of nothing better to do, walked out of the room after him, closing the door behind.

Outside Anjali and Aakash were quarrelling once again over some non sense thing, punching each other as they carried the dishes of pasta and spaghetti to the table, giving each other death glares. Khushi smiled at the cute bickering of the two siblings, feeling that emptiness inside her of not having a sibling. The little time she was here since morning, she hadn't remembered once of what had happened earlier at home with her, but had been lost in the non stop craziness of the three siblings, her entire soul coming to life. Their life was so fun she thought someone to give company to them always, to laugh over one silliness, to slap the other, to kick the first one and then get back together again. It was all so fun, she just missed having siblings.

Feeling like a stupid standing next alone, as she heard the clatter of dishes the three siblings were now carrying, she went forward into the kitchen and offered to help, being literally pushed out of the kitchen by Anjali and forcefully being seated on the dining table even after all her continuous protests.

Finally, all the four teenagers were seated on the table tucking in their food, Khushi actually smacking her lips and complimenting Anjali on how delicious the pasta was. Arnav looked at her innocence in amusement, the dining table coming to live with the lively chatter they had all started, Arnav being the silent spectator, happy to see that Khushi was doing well with his crazy siblings, pleased at the thought that she had momentarily forgotten about her meet with her dad. Lunch over, they cleared up the table, and went to the room, the clay still wet as Arnav and Khushi touched it giving perplexed looks to each other and went over to where Anjali and Aakash were seated double checking the numbers of the body parts they had kept in order.

"Raizada, the clay is still wet, should we start with completing the backdrop?", she asked him, as a thoughtful expression came on his face and he picked up the chart papers and the shoppers which contained the material that had to be stuck on the backdrop.

"Alright, did you complete the diagrams I told you to do so?", he inquired, with her nodding as an answer and the two collected the things keeping them where previously they had made the heart model its accessories shoved to a far end by Arnav. They opened, the four black chart papers and took out the cellophane tape taping the four chart papers together so that it formed one big square now. Then Khushi much to Arnav's surprise produced cut out letters of shiny silver paper in bold italics the heading saying 'The fist shaped chamber- Our Heart'

"This is going to go aptly with the black", Arnav complimented her appreciatively, not looking at how she had blinked hearing him complimenting her but had quickly recovered helping him position the letters on the top of the black square making a rainbow out of them. Contented with the positioning of it they stuck the all the objects in place with strong glue, both smiling at it, and then at each other. Done that, they quickly went on to making a synch between the text and the diagrams gluing them to the black sheets in appropriate positions. After their combined hard work of almost an hour, they finally moved back, towering over the backdrop that lay flat on the ground, both of them soaring with pride at their achievement

"Di, Bhai come here we just completed the backdrop", Khushi called out for them, and within seconds the two of them were standing next to them admiring their brilliant work, Anjali continuously patting the two on their backs much to Arnav's irritation. Aakash high fived both of them, and for the first time ever Arnav did not really hesitate, Anjali doing the same moments later hugging the two of them, as finally the moment of glory when the two partners Arnav and Khushi both smiling broadly, not being feisty at all high fived each other

This done spirits now soaring high, the four got to work with painting the parts Anjali and Aakash had cut out each taking their quota, which when done, left the painted body parts aligned in a synchronized manner next to the still mildly wet clay model of a heart. Done that, Anjali and Khushi fixed all the unnecessary things back to its places leaving only the box of Plaster of Paris, paints and the large tube of glue stick behind which would be needed to complete the structure of the heart. The three of them went out of the room, with Arnav lingering behind for God knows what reason. Khushi, Anjali and Aakash sat on the couch, as Anjali switched on the TV, flipping through channels and stopped on a music one, the air filled with the pop music of the music videos being played.

"You listen to Hindi songs?", Khushi asked Anjali surprised, who did not seem to be that type and looked like a die hard one of English music.

"Oh yeah! I love them. *pause* Do you?" Anjali asked back mildly excited as Khushi bobbed her head happily, her body dancing to the tunes of the beats of popular song 'Ainvayi Ainvayi' in the same sitting position she was. Anjali looked at her with merriment, as her shoulder kept coming up and down, her side moving to and fro, head doing some kind of rap movement. She exchanged looks with Aakash who was sitting next to them, looking at her with the same delight as hers.

"You love to dance don't you? *pause* (Khushi stops moving and looks embarrassed) Well, we don't mind you dancing, I love dancing too", Anjali told her, grinning at her as Khushi blushed slightly and shook her head in a 'No'.

"You wont be dancing alone, I will give you company, *pause* (Khushi is looking at Aakash hopefully) Don't ask him, he's a freaky dancer", Anjali said suppressing a giggle as Aakash looked at her grumpily, making deadening positions aimed at her through his hands.

"But erm, your leg" Khushi questioned back timidly, sending Aakash and her both roaring into immense laughter confusing her all the more.

"That is a faade, my genius brother (slapping Aakash on his back) devised, when I kept ranting about how boys kept hitting on me, leaving no peace for me", she said still laughing out loud, as Khushi looked at Aakash in hilarity, who modestly shook his head sending Khushi into fits of laughter.

"You two are so hilarious! *pause* (wondering) I wish I had siblings like you" Khushi remarked with a one sided smile, having Anjali and Aakash both smile at her widely, keeping their hands on both her shoulders each.

"You can change places with Chotte if you like, we don't mind at all. He's a nit wit after all" Aakash said receiving a glare from Anjali for back biting on their younger brother.

"Cool down Anji! She already knows about Chotte and his on and off's, don't you Khushi?", he asked smirking at her, as she nodded modestly, Anjali's smile coming back on her face, she getting up to her feet, and pulling Khushi up too, urging her to dance. Khushi was shaky in the beginning but went all gaga as ease and fun settled inside her, with Aakash now by her side too dancing with his sister and her. The threesome doing all kinds of awkward steps possible, imitating most of them from the music video, which they kept replaying over and over again, kicking each other, Khushi being the more graceful dancer moving her hips with such ease it startled the twins if she was a trained one or not.

Standing on the edge of the door of his room, Arnav saw their living room liven up into a dance floor with his two siblings and Khushi shaking their legs like mad yaks. The laughter was erupting like magma, the effect seeping in him too, smiling away enjoying the play like a silent spectator. But his silence did not go unnoticed by Khushi and Anjali who both exchanged looks in between quick steps and paced towards Arnav both tugging at either hands of his urging him to dance. He gave him his worst scowls, but none of it affected them as Aakash too got into business, pushing Arnav here and there by swinging his hips. It was like they had all gone mad, that Arnav tried to erm dance too, his hidden talent of being a really nice dancer hidden from his siblings and her. The three of them almost stopped dancing gasping in wonder holding each other for support, as he took over the supposed stage, and started getting into synch with the lyrics dancing away like a professional. Anjali had her mouths clasped, Aakash was holding on to Khushi's arm for support, but the stable award amongst the three was definitely for Khushi who had lend Aakash support on Anjali's shoulder and had moved in dancing with Arnav.

The song stopped playing, and for an instance nothing was affected but soon Arnav came back to his senses, flushing so badly, it looked like he was going to pee in his pants or something, and without even as much looking at anybody scurried off to his room, leaving Khushi stare at him madly, until the three of them looked at each other in hilarity and started laughing mad at him.

"Gupta, if you are done being Lady Gaga, then come on in, the clay mould is dry. *pause* AK Bhai and Di! You are not invited so stay out!" he growled from inside the room, shaking with terrible embarrassment, as the three outside still giggled a bit, with Khushi disappearing into the room not before giving a consoling to Anjali and Aakash.

Inside, Arnav was fiddling about making a paste of the plaster of Paris, adding in powder and then water making a paste without moulds appearing in it. He looked up as Khushi drank water from the cold water bottle she had brought in with her, looking at her in envy, wanting some for himself too, but it didn't really look like she would leave any for him. Not that he could drink anyway, his hands were drenched in white paste.

Khushi saw him looking at the bottle with a hopeless look, wanting some for him self, and feeling for him, she went out of the room much to his surprise returning with a glass of cold water and walked towards him where he was still busy with making the paste thick enough for it go good with the clay as the boulder wall for there model. She sat down next to him, and pressed the glass on his lips, him looking at her with wide eyes, but still opened his mouth and sipped in the water, choking slightly, with her then patting his back making him swallow his coughs. She kept the glass once he was done drinking looking a bit feisty, and dug both her hands in the bowl he had the paste formed, her hands colliding with his already covered ones

They looked at each other for a slight second, but then quickly looked away, satisfied with the consistency of the paste and started applying it on the now dried clay structure of the heart, Coating it carefully maintaining perfection, their skins kept touching in the process, some of the paste of ones hand rubbing off over the other forming thick particles of air to surround them. Once it was done, Khushi took her chance to get away from his heated gaze, and washed her hands in the washroom clean, him doing the same soon after, and she picked up the painted body parts which were by now dry bringing them over to where the hardboard was kept, positioning all the parts to make a complete human body. She called him for a final look, and he having approved they both began to glue all the pieces together, the body almost complete just waiting for the beating organ to be kept into place

After what was about a hour and a half, Khushi generously munching on the packet of chips Aakash had handed her over from the door, she sat on the bed, examining Arnav's book shelf, before he called out to her informing her of the dried structure. Losing no more time, and it was only near twilight that they got to work, painting the heart it being down looking like a real life beating heart. She slapped him on his back as a gesture of appreciation, him looking at her startled, and gave her a tight smile in response.

That done and the heart dried, Khushi after having him convinced enough to let Aakash and Anjali come inside, called the twins in gladly, as they placed the dried heart in the middle of the chest they had made slightly to the left, the moment of truth drawing closer. Arnav filled in the small fish tank they had taken to apply the pressure, with water, and attached it to the pulmonary vein pumping the thing up and down as the model got into action water running through all the tubes looking absolutely divine

"This is marvelous! Cheers for the two of you, and your partnership!", Anjali cried out in sheer excitement, as Khushi leapt on her in joy, and then hugged Aakash, moving in a rush towards Arnav but stopped midway realizing who he was, creating an uncomfortable situation. She hurriedly shoved passed him, shaking his hand and went outside the room with the twins leaving him to drool over what was supposed to happened seconds earlier for the second time now

It was getting late as they realized the time, Khushi bidding goodbye to all of them, out in the night, not before Arnav joined her shortly on Anjali and Aakash insistence who had literally shoved him out of the house, to go escort her back to her house.

Khushi looked at him, her expressions changing from surprise to a sheepish look, as he walked by her side quietly not keeping up much conversation.

"What are you doing here?", she asked him startled, as he dug his hand in his pockets looking down on the ground.

"Di and Bhai told me to drop you too your home safely", he said modestly, not looking up at her as they continued to walk in silence from the side of the road now, until the silence was disturbed by a shrill yelp from her

"What, what happened?", he asked concerned, holding her by her arm, who otherwise would have collapsed. His eyes went down to her largest of the toe in the right foot, the nail clinging away ruthlessly by a strand to her skin, a rush of blood dripping away furiously from it.

"I hit that jagged rock" she said painfully, closing her eyes tightly to get rid of the pain that was searing through her entire leg now, making it almost unable to move now. Arnav looked at the stupid rock that was lying in the middle of nowhere on the road

"Can you walk?", he asked back worried, his sight stuck on from where her blood was coming out non stop. She nodded her head her face pale, the color drained out of it due to the pain that she felt, and she tried to take a step forward but couldn't without his help, being forced by physical circumstances, slid her hand around his waist clutching onto it as he kept his arm around her, helping her to walk. After a few steps or so, she just couldn't let go of the pain it becoming unbearable for her to bear, as tears trickled down her eyes, with every painful step that she took. Not being able to take in her pain, he bent down keeping his hand under her knees and one around her back lifting her up in his arms much to her surprise who looked in confusion into his eyes, which were looking straight ahead at the road

"At this rate, we would never be able to reach your home today", he said grimly, her hands winded tightly around his neck, she looking at his face in what was an emotion of affection, embarrassment, and another one which was fairly unknown to her. He kept his sight fixed ahead well aware of the fact that her eyes were on him, but he was trying his best to not maintain eye contact, which would only result in the worst for the two of them. They reached her house, after a 15 minute walk, and she retreated one of her hands from his neck ringing the door bell, which much to their relief was attended too on the very first ring.

Aparna Gupta looked in horror at her daughters bleeding feet, and her crouched form in the arms of the same boy she had as a guest yesterday, she quickly beckoned them in opening the door of Khushi's room for them, as Arnav in a greatly summarized form told her mother of how Khushi had landed up in the way she was. He placed her gently on her bed making her legs outstretched, with her still wincing in terrible pain. Mrs.Gupta hurried out of the room to get a glass of water for the two of them, while Arnav sat down next to her and then got up fetching the first aid box from the drawer she told him it was kept in.

"Now don't whine, shout, cry or howl", he instructed her firmly, slipping his hand underneath her foot as she looked at him with a mixed expression of annoyment and gratitude.

"I am doing nothing of that sort, Raizada", she said vexed, as he cleared away the blood from her largest toe her slightly flinching due to the pain it inflicted, and placed her hand on his shoulder gripping it tightly, as the pain of the wound seethed into her.

"Precautionary", he remarked slyly, as he continued to wipe the blood clean looking at her giving him a flustered look

"I am not a normal girl", she informed him, to let him know of her real worth, and have him considering her as the normal female.

"Absolutely Not, I was never under that vain impression. *pause* I always knew you were nuttier than the other girls." he smirked wickedly at her receiving a death glare from her.

Mending her foot, and bandaging it neatly, he tied a knot to it, and cleared away the mess of the first aid box depositing it back to its place as she looked at him with affection, stopping him before he exited out of her room.

"Arnav, I cant thank you enough", she said full of gratitude for him, as he took a sharp turn back to face her, not amazed at what she had said to him, but the way she addressing him. For the first time ever with his first name, Arnav.

"I know. *pause* Stick with my last name Gupta, I like it that way better between us.", he said before disappearing out of the room, bidding good bye to her flustered mom who hurried in, seeing Khushi smiling at the door, and went over to sit next to her daughter on the bed, examining the well covering bandage.

"The boy has done a good job with bandaging your toe." Aparna Gupta remarked, as Khushi still smiling nodded her head slightly, the smile fading away as memories clawed at her all over again.

"Ma, I am so sorry, for going without letting you know, but I just thought, you needed your time to sort yourself out, I didn't want to be a trouble, not that I haven't been much (in tears) I am really sorry for acting like that with him, but I just couldn't control my self, he's inflicted a lot of pain to us and I cant stand the sight of him anymore. I am sorry Ma" Khushi said sobbing, keeping her head on her mother's shoulder, weeping as she gave a justification for her earlier actions.

"Its alright dear, and I am glad you left me to my own. I needed that time without anyone around to clear up my head, and start off life back to how it was again." Mrs Gupta consoled her daughter keeping her hand on her head, as Khushi slowly gained her composure and looked into her mother eyes, with her moist ones.

"Are you sure Ma?" she asked as her mother gave her that motherly smile of hers and nodded at her bringing the girl to ease keeping her head back on her mother's shoulder.

"So did something change between you and that boy?" Mrs.Gupta asked Khushi who brought up a juvenile smile on her face.

"A lot has", she said fondly, revitalizing all her memories with that one boy who had the greatest effect on her that she could imagine, who she was just blindly trusting without any doubts, because somewhere she knew, he would never let her down.

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Regarding The Title

Plastered Sentiments- I am not the decider of my own work and how it turns out to be, since I write with the flow, but I do know for sure while I was re reading the whole thing, that there was a lot of play of emotions in this chapter. I did my best to summarize it (but couldn't obviously, no wonder by English Language teacher feels like killing me.:P). So this chapter has been named what it was been named because of the way the characters are going about in the story. It starts with Shyam, who feels something for Anjali but wants to cover it up thinking of it as useless, not that he had to blame much, he's got more on his plate then normal teenagers. Secondly, Aakash who tries his best to conceal his awe towards Payal but is unable too from his sister who finally hits the bulls eye with her cross questioning. I don't think anyone's dumb enough to not consider Arnav and Khushi in this caption, who go aptly with it, Arnav more, concealing his affection, with her just trying to be normal, even though she knows what they had between them is way beyond 'normal'. And then last but not the least, we have Khushi's mother who had coated her sorrow with thick material so that to eradicate her daughters guilt. Plus, going on to the literal meaning, them covering the heart with plaster of Paris, is what in real life we call the WALL. It is that wall that keeps us going, and when you give someone a place in your heart, its like letting them go through that wall, and that's what Khushi and Arnav are yet not ready for but on the path of discovering. Though, I can safely comment that Khushi has made holes in her wall already for Arnav to pass.

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Events In The Chapter

By God! This was one eventful chapter, I mean my word count according to Microsoft for this chapter was 8,840 words! Can you actually imagine, and just to think I still wanted to add some of Vivek and a diary entry from Khushi in it too, but due to the already over exceeded normal word limit I couldn't. Guess that has to wait for some other time.*sigh* But anyways, a lot has been happening in this particular chapter, finally an inside scope into Shyam's personal life (Don't kill me for this, but he is a positive character in this, you will have to chuck out pervertwa Shyam's image from your mind while reading about this Shyam).

A greater insight into Payal-Aakash relationship, and now almost all the leads know about it, it will be interesting to know how it develops, before the much hinted dance, in Chapter 10 (keep guessing the occasion people and the song.:P )

Arnav and Khushi were on a roll right here, and this chapter as much as it was their's was also of Aakash and Anjali's. The fun factor wound't be there if the two siblings weren't added! Their conversation show the usual banter between siblings, a younger one who seems cut off from them, the ones of the same age usually on logger heads but at the same time understanding each other a lot better than any other person would.

Anybody gets a project to make a heart model, read this chapter it will give you a lot of help I assure you of that.;) I got an A+ with the same method.:P

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Precap

"Oh it's a bit odd, they hardly know much of you, and they got so friendly with you all of a sudden, you sure they are not up to something?", he asked in an unnerving tone, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"They are genuinely nice. Not everybody goes to their home, for a project, and besides, (she thought twice and then lowered her voice), can you keep a secret, its not mine it is AK Bhai's." she said oddly, still wondering if she doing the right thing telling Vivek about Aakash secret crush on her cousin, pondering over a little more until he kept waiting and then decided with it, moving in closer to him, keeping her hand on his ear.

"I think AK Bhai likes Payal Jiji (Vivek looking at her confused) My cousin that I told you about na" she whispered into his ear, as he smiled at her and asked if she was doing anything to help them in the regard, but she shook her head telling him of Arnav's advice.

"Maybe he is right. You should keep out of it, fill them in if they need it, they just might not be needing your help", he told her sensibly as a distant look coming on his face again him staring up at the ceiling of their classroom aimlessly.

"I wanted to tell you something Khushi.", he said finally blushing away furiously with her looking at him oddly.

"Don't make me wait, I am listening"

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P.S: So yeah I am finally back with an update, and man this so long, it should be enough of a fill for you people, though I do know it only makes you more greedier.:P But anyways, I wont be blabbaring much now, and just a request leave back your comments behind (comprehensive, mind it!), do hit the like button to appreciate, I try to reply to as many comments as I can, but sometimes if I cannot do not be disheartened since I am still reading all of them.:D

Love,

Batool😳😳

Chapter 9: Uncalled For