ArShi FF: Something About You Thread#1 *COMPLETED* - Page 104

Created

Last reply

Replies

1047

Views

879764

Users

245

Likes

9634

Frequent Posters

Srilathalolla thumbnail
Anniversary 12 Thumbnail Group Promotion 6 Thumbnail + 3
Posted: 9 years ago
Interesting FF. Aranv is settled in US and did not want to return to India but he has to visit India because of his Di. Khushi has a flashback which is not so good and that is the reason no one wants her to be their bahu. Anrav and Khushi both have feeling for each other but they are poles apart and they knew that interesting. I hate that leech Karan how can he say and do those kind of things to Khushi when he is already engaged to her sister. 
                            Thanks Jduke for suggesting the story. 
Arjuhisis thumbnail
Anniversary 12 Thumbnail Group Promotion 6 Thumbnail + 2
Posted: 9 years ago
Farah, u just cannot imagine how much I miss my SAY
lucky29 thumbnail
Posted: 9 years ago
U know it was super awesomeโค๏ธ
I smiled,laughed,blushed and cried  while reading this ff,
I read half of the ff at one go then I even could not stop myself from reading the other half in office as I just could not wait to comeback home  and start reading
๐Ÿ˜ƒ๐Ÿ˜ณ๐Ÿ˜ญ
I think instead of OS should write more of FF

and I think I will be stalking your index to see if you are writing something 

this has rarely happened to me  ,please add me and pm whenever u write 



๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ keep writing ..u r superb
arshirupa thumbnail
Anniversary 11 Thumbnail Group Promotion 6 Thumbnail + 2
Posted: 9 years ago

Originally posted by: farah53

<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">Hey all, so here I am with Part 11..& this is a special one, hence the little bit early & a whole lot longer update...This update is for Zehra Zabeen, aka ZZ, aka Lazyleaves... She's going off to Iran in a few minutes..& we'll all miss her a LOT๐Ÿค—</font>

</div><div>

<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">Come back soon, mere rangeen raat ke saathi๐Ÿ˜‰</font>




<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">Part 11</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">As Arnav came jogging towards the main house from the direction of the Guesthouse, he saw a lanky, sturdy young man sitting on one of the stone benches lining the hedges surrounding the main house. As he came to a halt a few feet away from the man, the man promptly stood up to his feet, & said in a purposeful, clipped voice, "Sir, this is for you." He handed a fat brown Manila envelope to Arnav. Arnav opened the envelope & tipped the contents half way to examine them briefly. Then he trained his annoyed eyes at the man & said in a displeased tone, "An F.I.R. copy, a signed confession & an audio tape? That's all you got for me? & you are the highly competent person, just like one I was looking for according to Mamaji?" Then he looked down at the envelope again & scanned the young man from head to toe once before dismissing him with, "Although you did sound smarter than an envelope on the phone." </font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">The man nodded perfunctorily, as if saying 'fair enough' with that single nod & then said in an all-business tone, "Mr Karan Kapoor was 19 when this happened. They had called their parents to the Kapoor's Gurgaon farmhouse & one of the servants had secretly called the police. When Param Jaiswal was taken to the hospital by his family, he was declared dead from an overdose of a Cocaine, Ecstasy, Ethanol, & Oxycodone cocktail. The latter two were purchased by Kapoor using his Pediatrician mother's prescription pad. Police caught the other guy, Ahluwaliya, Kapoor & the escort that was with them, hired by Kapoor that night. Kapoor signed a confession, which was also taped, saying he bought & mixed the cocktail. Later Kapoor's lawyer blamed the escort for bringing the drugs along. His maternal uncle was the then attorney general. & plus, Jaiswal's autopsy revealed he was engaged in same sex activities just before his demise. & both Jaiswal & Ahluwaliya families are, as you might know, engaged in central politics. So the whole matter was neatly buried 60 feet under. The escort was released after a 7 years sentence two years back & she was paid off heftily by the Kapoors."</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">As Arnav stood in a horrified silence for a shocked couple of moments, he understood what the F.I.R., signed confession & audio tape held. The first thing that left his mouth once he recovered his ability to speak was a strangled sound & then, "How on earth was that guy getting married to Payal??!! How could Rohan & Uncle be so careless??!!!" The young man continued as calmly as he was before, "The gory details were never publicized. Everybody knew just that, they took an escort out to the farmhouse to have a wild night for the first time. & naive as they were, this tragedy happened to them. The Kapoors shut the farmhouse down since then. They stay at the Oberoi Resorts, Gurgaon, now. & Karan Kapoor became the poster boy for drug rehabilitation from that point on. & it's actually true. He never took them again. Now, he just occasionally gets touchy-feely with girls at parties after too many shots, that's it." he finished seriously. Arnav stared at him unblinkingly for some moments & then he queried, "& you got all this hidden facts out in less than 5 hours??" The man nodded cursorily & said, "Sir, if there's nothing else, I'd leave you with them."</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">As the man had paced ten feet away, Arnav suddenly looked up from the envelope he was contemplating & called out, "Call me ASR. & stick closely around in case I need you again, & I am warning you, it might be like yesterday night after 2am." The man nodded with a jerk in affirmative. & when he was about to go away, Arnav called out again in an exasperated voice, "& you are..?" The man fully turned & nodded in greeting & said smartly, "Mathur. Aman Mathur, ASR." & this time it was Arnav who curtly nodded his farewell & jogged inside the main house without a backward glance.</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<p align="center"><font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</font></p>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">Khushi woke up as the harsh rays of sun practically pried her eyes open. She rolled on her back & tried to lift her arms to push away the bangs of hair that fell over her eyes, but instantly cried out in pain. She gingerly brought her arms down & slowly pushed up the right sleeve of her nightshirt with her left hand a bit & blanched as she saw the blue bruises & brownish scratches of clotted blood here & there over the small expanse of her arm that she did expose. She sat up with a jerk, ignoring the sore feeling around her shoulders & got out of bed hastily. She ran to the door of the room & yanked it open before she ran to the landing by the stairs that led downstairs. As she tried to listen with utmost attention if she could hear the whereabouts of her family members, she straightened up with a jerk as she undoubtedly heard Anjali's hushed voice & the sound of her Amma's sobs. They knew.</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">As Khushi ran inside the room to go into the ensuite bathroom, she felt a bit queasy thinking about what Payal must be going through right now. She hastily splashed cold water on her face & then came out of the bathroom tying her long hair in a messy ponytail bun. As she moved towards her luggage to pull out a dress, she saw Arnav's coat neatly folded & piled on top of her overnight bag & instantly she felt rage building inside her. Him! He must've told Anjali ji or Bhaiya. Bloody meddler. & she was fuming with anger by the time she was pulling on a white cardigan over her bruised arms.</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">As Khushi came down the last steps of the stairs, although she didn't make a single sound, all of the heads suddenly turned towards her & Khushi stopped on her tracks. Then as she waited for someone to say something that would indicate to her what her next course of action should be, defense or offense, suddenly Payal stood up from the circle of Anjali's arms & ran to where Khushi stood & engulfed her in bear hug. Then as Khushi kept trying to understand what was happening, Payal kept pressing kisses to her hair & kept blabbering incomprehensible words between uncontrollable sobs.</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">But as it was with sisters, Khushi got out the meaning of each & ever one of those half-spoken words. She held Payal in her arms as she accounted how Karan came even before they were up from sleep properly & told her how Khushi had tried to seduce him last night. When Payal had refused to believe that & in a shocked state screamed Rohan & their parents down, how Karan had threatened to break their alliance & asked them to consider how it would sound in the society that, he had broken off his alliance with Payal, because her sister tried to seduce him. How before Rohan could disentangle himself from his Bauji's restraining arms to smash Karan's face, Arnav had arrived with Anjali & told everyone that he was a witness to Karan's ambush on Khushi. Then when Karan had cooked up some outrageous tale about catching Khushi & Arnav fooling around & thus Khushi trying to seduce him into silence & all, Arnav had talked about some proofs of Karan's past wrongdoings. & how after seeing those papers Karan had become totally quite & after Arnav had threatened to leak the proofs all over Delhi if Karan ever spoke ill of any of the Gupta sister, Karan had just ran away from the house, not looking at anyone else.</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">As Khushi heard all of that in bewildered silence, a crying Garima came & hugged both her daughters. Then Garima started kissing both of them in turn, telling them to forget all of this & that everything will be alright. As Bauji also patted Khushi's head, his eyes moist, Khushi's eyes moved to the other occupants of the room. Anjali was trying to calm an extremely agitated Rohan, who was looking at his sisters with pained eyes, by rubbing his back gently. & Arnav was standing far away, by the door, just looking at her with a coffee mug on his hand. Khushi couldn't tell the expression on his face from so much distance, but suddenly he started moving towards her & Khushi felt herself getting detached from all of her family members, all of her surrounding, as her whole being focused on him. She abruptly thought with a panic, will he caress my arms like last night? & then horrified as she was with her own thought, another little voice inside her head chirped on, so what? The bruises are hurting, aren't they?</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">But to her disappointment, Arnav came near Anjali, asked her in a hushed tone, will she be alright with Rohan if he went back to the main house now. After Anjali's affirmative nod, he turned to the door, but as he did, his eyes lingered on Khushi for more than a couple of seconds, & then he strolled out of the house sipping his coffee with absolute relaxation.</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<p align="center"><font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font></p>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">A few hours later, the Gupta's got ready to leave the farmhouse in a solemn mood, all immersed in their own unhappy thoughts. As Khushi folded the various many clothes she had managed to scatter through the room in a matter of 24 hours, she stole a glance at Payal, who after that first bout of crying had been unnaturally withdrawn. Khushi licked her dry lips & started hesitantly, "Jiji? Is it hurting too much?" Payal came out of her trance with a start & started folding the top she had been holding in her hand for the last 20 minutes. Then she halted & unexpectedly said, "Never blame yourself for any of this, Khushi, samjhi? I should have known. I am your older sister. If I had paid more attention to his straying tendencies, you wouldn't have to go through any of it. Khushi, the sad part is, I knew.. Somewhere. Deep down. Everytime we met, I spent the whole time fending off his advances! & to think I let him pressurize me into kissing him. My first kiss, Khushi! It should've been with anyone else but that leech!" Khushi came running & hugged Payal before she could give into her panic. </font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">After a few moments of quite sobbing, Payal composed herself & said in an attempt to change the mood of the room, "Is your packing done? The mess you've ma-" she stopped as her eyes fell on something. "Khushi, whose jacket is that?" Khushi looked at it & gasped loudly, "Jiji. Tell Amma I am coming in 15 minutes." She picked up the coat & ran out of the room before Payal could ask any more questions.</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<p align="center"><font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font></p>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">After asking three servants packing the cars about his whereabouts, Khushi found Arnav in the shades of the same Gulmohar & Peepal trees where they had clashed the day before, looking out towards the small pond lying beside. She hesitantly approached him, & before she could call him, it was as if he sensed her presence & half-turned to look at her. Khushi halted a few feet away from him & held out his coat held in her right arm tentatively, "Thank you.. For this. For last night.. For this morning." Her voice sounded so small that Arnav felt something twitch inside him, which he had thought had been cemented a long time ago. He looked over her once & took in the white cardigan over her usual red & white dress.</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">Instead of taking the coat off her hand, Arnav moved forward & tugging at the sleeve of her cardigan gently, asked, "Are you alright? Is it hurting too much?" & maybe because he repeated the exact question she had asked her sister not so long ago, Khushi could only just remember what Payal had told her about her first kiss & how it could have very well happened to Khushi too last night, if Arnav had been a little late. She suddenly jolted as she felt Arnav slowly rolling the sleeve of her cardigan back & then he brushed the faint blue ring around her wrist tenderly, where Karan had grabbed her forcefully last night. & suddenly his proximity became just too much for Khushi & she just let go of herself after withholding to her feelings tightly since last night when it all started. </font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">She impulsively stepped towards him & blurted out, her words falling over themselves at the rush to get out of her lips, "I am just glad, he didn't get a chance to do more than he did. I wouldn't want him to be my first kiss!" As she closed her eyes to block out the flashes of last night, she saw Payal's regretful face swim before her eyes, & opening them again, she almost shouted out, "That isn't how it's supposed to be, right? A girl's first kiss shouldn't be forced!" & as the words left her lips, she realized what she was saying to whom & gasped aloud.</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="2">Arnav cupped her jaw over her hair, & slowly pulled her close, & it was only when he spoke & Khushi felt his breath fanning her bangs, that she realized how close she had come to his body. Arnav softly caressed her cheek with lazy flicks of his thumb & whispered, "No. A first kiss shouldn't be forced. It should be.. Flawless." & Khushi realized he must've misinterpreted her distress over Payal's ill-fated first kiss to be her self-misery. But as she saw his head lean towards her excruciatingly slowly, she suddenly realized, all misunderstandings weren't necessarily harmful. & she parted her lips unknowingly as she felt his breath breeze over them as he spoke & it took her a moment to actually deduce the meaning of what he was saying, "If you could hear anyone calling your name, now would be the time to run away to answer it." & Khushi saw his words as what they were, a chance from him for her to back out of what was about to happen. & taking in a deep breath, Khushi said in a breathless tone, "No! I have nowhere else to be right now." & before the last word left her trembling lips, his lips swooped down over hers.</font>

<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">& sorry to all. No precap today too..I am just too tied up with work right now.. But I'll try to bring the precaps back soon!</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">Your reviews are as always most welcome as they are a major source of encouragement for all of us writers & press 'like' if you do like!๐Ÿ˜‰</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>

arshirupa thumbnail
Anniversary 11 Thumbnail Group Promotion 6 Thumbnail + 2
Posted: 9 years ago

Originally posted by: farah53

<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">Hey,all!!So I am here with Part 13 of this story..& well, whoever said 13 is unlucky must have been right, cos the first thing I saw when I came to update an hour ago was that blasted MAMR snap..So I had to log out & calm myself down before I could come online again to update..๐Ÿ˜ญ</font>

<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">Anyways, thank you for all the lovely comments & reviews..๐Ÿค—& keep them coming like this cos right now as the readers are only relying on the FFs to brings them happiness, likewise the writers are also only relying on the reader's comments to bring them inspiration!So let's support each other, cos, 'hum the jinke sahare, wo hokar bhi huwe na hamare'</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">Part 13</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">As Arnav came home late, later than even his usual late, 5 days after they had all come back from the farmhouse, he saw, as usual, Di & Rohan sitting at the main hall of Shantivan, with Naniji saying something to Rohan. He was about to bypass the hall to go up to his room, when Anjali called him up, asking him to come down soon after freshening up, so that she could serve dinner for him. Arnav sighed as he looked over at Rohan. If he came down for dinner, then undoubtedly everyone would join to chat around him while he ate, then as Rohan would start for his home, he, Arnav, would be expected to walk with him as he had done for the last four days without exception. But frankly, he had decided last night, that he was done! Arnav Singh Raizada didn't mope around for anyone. & he certainly didn't do the rounds of anyone's house, certainly not the house of some immature kid who couldn't even face him after they had shared just a kiss. No matter how poignant, stirring, earth-shattering, or downright disturbing, in its intensity, that just-a-kiss might have been, a little voice on his head added.</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">Arnav shook his head & said curtly, "I am tired. Tell HP to bring dinner or whatever up to my room." As he was about to brusquely walk-off to the stairs, Rohan spoke up, "So Akaash was telling the truth then?" As Arnav turned slightly to face him, not entirely breaking his stride, Rohan elaborated with a twinkle in his eyes, "You know, about your new bromance with someone called Aman. I am not anymore the only one for you?" As he said that, he tried his best to look mock-sad, but he failed miserably & as Anjali rolled off over Nani's shoulder, both of them giggling, Rohan started laughing in a low guttural tone that was a unique sound due to his unusually low baritone. As Arnav shifted his eyes on Akaash to glower at him, Akaash immediately sobered up from his laughter & got to his feet & spluttered, "Bhai, they made me crack. I didn't wanna say anything. But you know Di.. She was adamant about knowing what kept you glued to the office all day long." </font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">Arnav took a threatening step toward Akaash, & asked in a deceptively soft voice, "& Aman keeps me glued to the office all day?? Not anything else like, say, work, maybe?" & he saw Akaash quickly going & standing behind his sister & Dadi, & then he said in an accusatory voice, "But you have become so tight with him since we came back from the farmhouse! Always in your cabin, engaged in deep conspiratorial conversations & all!" But by the end of it even Akaash couldn't maintain his serious face & burst out laughing. As Arnav was about to blast him off, starting with a caustic, "Very funny..", Rohan interrupted them by putting up his hands in a surrendering gesture, & said in a voice laced with suppressed laughter, "Cut it out guys. It's late. I have to go, so let me just inform Arnav quickly." </font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">As Arnav looked at him with a blank look not knowing what to expect, Rohan continued, "Amma-Bauji are going to Lucknow tomorrow.. to inform all the relatives who had been invited to Payal's wedding about the situation & invite them to Anjali & my wedding instead. & I couldn't even get the day off, so after I drop them off at the station, I'll have to go to the office for the whole day. & my Buaji can only come after Amma-Bauji reach Lucknow. That'll be the day after tomorrow or maybe the day after that. So Payal & Bachchi will be alone the whole day tomorrow."</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">Arnav didn't know why he suddenly felt that pang of unease at the thought Khushi being all alone & vulnerable, but he suppressed it harshly & looked at Rohan with carefully schooled features which expressed nothing more than mild curiosity. Rohan looked at him with narrowed eyes as if his lack of more concern was unusual & continued in a vaguely distracted voice, "So Anjali was saying that she'd go & spend some time with them tomorrow & as the house will virtually empty at the night too, she might even stay the night, so that Amma-Bauji feels better about leaving the girls behind like this." Then Rohan looked at Nani & said in a respectful voice, "& as Anjali is Naniji's responsibility, I thought she might feel uncomfortable about Anjali staying overnight with no elders present, so I invited Akaash to stay over too. He'll be there to protect his sister." Rohan finished with an affectionate grin at Akaash, not really noticing the pride that shone in Nani, Anjali & Arnav's eyes, directed at him & his righteousness.</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">Then suddenly out of the blue, to everyone's sheer incredulity, a steady voice boomed, "I'll come over too. Di is my responsibility too. Besides, it's been so long since I had a camping out with Akaash & you, although it'd be more in-house camping' That is, if anyone has no objections..?" He asked in such a menacingly calm voice that, even if everyone had an objection of their own for their own unique reason, none voiced so.</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<p align="center"><font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</font></p><p align="center"><font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font></p>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">Khushi finished her assignment that was due tomorrow & also scanned the one she had done for Lavanya one last time. It had taken her almost 5hours to finish both the assignments, but she didn't see what else she could do. It had been like that since she had been in standard 7, all of 12. It wasn't that La was too stupid to do her own assignment or homework, she was just too lazy to do it. Besides, she had from a young age learned that she had Khushi to rely on. & once that knowledge was settled, La never really saw it necessary for her to do a single assignment or homework. But Khushi really didn't mind that much. She welcomed the double exercise & wasn't really bothered with marginal extra work. She got up from her bed, carefully making her way out of the chaos of books & notebooks scattered around her whole bed. She hadn't been out of her room since she had come in here to work on the assignments after sharing an extremely fun lunch with her Jiji & to-be Bhabi. Anjali had of course told her that Akaash & Arnav were gonna be staying over the night with her too. & that had been the deal maker for Khushi. She had excused herself shortly after that & shut herself in the room telling both Anjali & Payal not to disturb her as she was studying.</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">When it had been dinner time an hour ago, Payal, Rohan & even Anjali had come to call her for dinner. But she had said from behind the closed door that she would eat when she was done with her work despite being actually very hungry after working for so long, but she didn't think she'd be able to eat anything if Arnav was seated at the same table. She didn't know whether it was right or wrong that she was avoiding Arnav after making out with him like that in the farmhouse. She didn't even care how it seemed to him. But there were two things she knew for sure. Arnav Singh Raizada never hid his aversion to any kind of serious committed relationship & Khushi Kumari Gupta was never interested in anything other than the very serious kind of committed relationship. So whatever had prompted them both that day to cling to each other like that, had to be discouraged right now. Before anyone of them foolishly got so involved that it would leave a scar for life. & Khushi had a nagging feeling that if it at all happened, between herself & Arnav, she would be that fool.</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">As Khushi silently stepped out of her room to go down to have her dinner, still lost in her unhappy thoughts, as soon as she stepped on the landing, she heard the sound of happy giggling & cheerful laughter floating up from the hall downstairs. She would have thought all of them had gone to sleep by now. It's nearly 12.45am, for Devi Maiyya's sake. Khushi tip-toed to the ledge of the landing & peeped down to see who all was still in the hall. & to her acute annoyance the first thing she saw was Payal & Arnav sitting in the small settee beside the couch Anjali & Rohan were snuggling in & Akaash was lounging very casually on the bean-bag chair beside the other side of the settee. & Khushi didn't know what they had been doing the whole evening as she had stupidly confined herself in her own room thinking Arnavji might want to pursue her to talk her, but by the looks of it, she might not have bothered at all. Because right now he was rapturously gazing at Payal while she was telling something to him in between her giggles & animated hand gestures.</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">Khushi flung away from the ledge as if it was something contaminated & without even trying to muffle her footsteps, stomped into her room & shut the door with a thunderous clash.</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<p align="center"><font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</font></p><p align="center"><font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font></p>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">As Khushi heard the Grandfather clock in the hall chime two times indicating it was 2am, she clutched her stomach which was now gnawing with hunger. She should have accepted the dinner plate that Payal had brought up for her before they all went to bed, but she had been too angry at her own sister to even say good night to her properly, let alone accept food from her. She had even declined Rohan & Anjali's concerns for her, saying she was just too tensed about her assignment submission tomorrow to eat anything, & she knew from the way Rohan's eyes narrowed that he didn't buy her excuse for e minute. Khushi Kumari Gupta never said no to food for anything! But he had just let it go after he had noticed the furrow between her brows & after a quick peck on her, he led Anjali away from her room.</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">Now that she heard the growls coming from her stomach again, Khushi got up from her seating position & after a moment's hesitation, got down from her bed & was out of her room, going down the stairs to the kitchen in less than a minute. </font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">As she was sure everyone had gone to bed hours ago, shedidn'teven bother to change in anything else, but her usual worn-to-pieces navy blue pajamas with light green starsstrewnallover, that she had been wearing since she had been in college, but made her look like she was a schoolgirl.</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">She needed food & she needed comfort. & nothing spelled comfort food for Khushi Kumari Gupta like Jalebis did. </font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>


<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">After reaching the kitchen, she took out the frying wok, tongs & skimmers needed for the frying of Jalebis. As she was about to keep them over the stove, the tong slipped from her hand & dropped on the floor with a loud clang. With a sigh she kept the remaining items in her hand over the cook top carefully, so as not to drop anything else. Then as she settled everything securely over the stove, she bent down to pick up the tong, & as she came up with the tong in her hand, she found herself directly gazing at a pair of narrowed slits of molten brown eyes looking at her with unmistakable anger in them.</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<p align="center"><font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</font></p>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">Precap:</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">Khushi immediately closed her eyes tightly shut & prayed to Devi Maiyya that maybe it was all a nightmare of hers, but the next moment she was forced to flutter her eyes open as he shook her hand briefly. He again hissed furiously, "What are you? Some camel? You can't wish me away just by closing your eyes, Khushi!" & Khushi could just continue to look at him with a fearful expression on her face as she was firstly just too surprised to find him like this in the kitchen at this time, standing before her. & secondly, she was also quiet out of shame, because his accusation that she was avoiding him was painfully true.</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">But as soon as she felt Arnav twist her wrist to turn it behind her, effectively pulling her closer to his body, she felt the rage building within her, & as she looked up at his still hard eyes, she felt the tension of the past 6 days finally catching up with up with her & she snapped, "What?? What is your problem? This is my house, still! It's not sold away yet, no thanks to you. So I can roam through all over it, at whichever time I feel like it, & you don't have the right to say anything about it, samjhe aap? & why would I avoid you? I didn't even know you wanted to see me or talk to me." Self-preservation now made her lie blatantly. "I am here now. Tell me. What is it you wanted to say to me that's so important that you're now accusing me of avoiding you for it?" & with that she sent a silent prayer up to Devi Maiyya that she would rob the Laad Governor of speech.</font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"></font>

<font size="2" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">Arnav watched at her glaring eyes, her fuming expression & her flushed face for a few seconds. Then his free hand rose up to touch her pink cheeks, & his thumb brushed a few loose tendrils away from it, as he leaned closer & whispered in a calm voice, "I just wanted to know, tum theek ho?"</font>

<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">Now, all of you know the drill...Press 'like' if you do like & comment because we IPKKND-ians always have lots to say!!!๐Ÿ˜‰</font>
<font color="#009966" face="Comic Sans MS, Times, serif" size="2">
</font>

21.snehal thumbnail
Posted: 8 years ago
Very nice ff cant stop reading
Arshi.Sugi.IPK thumbnail
Posted: 8 years ago
Part 1-14 Awesome updates
Arshi.Sugi.IPK thumbnail
Posted: 8 years ago
Part 15-40 Wonderful updates Edited by Arshi.Sugi.IPK - 8 years ago
Arjuhisis thumbnail
Anniversary 12 Thumbnail Group Promotion 6 Thumbnail + 2
Posted: 8 years ago
Iam waiting for some spare time to start re-reading this beautiful story
Farah, We miss u (u know who the we includes)
Hakuna_Matata11 thumbnail
Posted: 8 years ago
Amazing Story till now.
Loving it so much.