Chapter 15
Illusions or..?
Khushi walked inside the property squeezing herself in between the group of workers and that did not went unnoticed by Arnav who was standing at the front office with few guests with him. he knew as why she was avoiding him, Tamarai had shared everything with her, probably.
Her heart beat quickened as she avoided his gaze upon her intentionally. She did not wanted to do that, but it was best to avoid him other than dreaming about the impossible about him. looking into his eyes only made her weak on her knees so she did best by avoiding the same.
Arnav was finished with the briefing and was watching her while she walked hurriedly towards the house keeping section, as if did not even see him. he sighed and walked out of the office his eyes glued to her hesitant form as she entered the room and closed the door behind her.
Khushi rested her head onto the closed door, breathing heavily. Arnav was at the other side his hands on the door, as if sensing her. he wanted to talk to her but she was avoiding him and not even sparing a look towards him. she heard footsteps infront of the room and heart lurched at the thought of him standing there, waiting for her to open the door and let him inside.
She walked inside the room, busying herself in the work, as she folded the freshly washed duvets and curtains and placed it inside the closet arranging it neatly. Arnav extended his hands towards the door and knocked onto it softly. Khushi turned around and looked at the closed door breathing heavily. She did not need to ask as who it was, when her heart had already sensed him outside the room.
She reached for the door and opened it, however he is her sir, and she had to obey to him, and as far as she knew herself, nothing will effect her unless she wanted it to. She looked at his dull features and the weak smile on his face as he stood the ground looking straight at her, his eyes showing something very different and that frightened Khushi further.
"Good Morning Sir…. Is there anything you want me to do? I was just arranging the closet.." Khushi said hesitantly reaching for the duvets once again and found him walking towards her and then standing really close to her, that she can hear his ragged breathing.
"Khushi….. I know why you are behaving like this with me…but trust me…. I don't have any other intentions, nor I want to hurt you… its nothing like you are imagining.. I really really…Lo….like..you…" the words left his mouth and he found Khushi staring at him as if seen a ghost or something.
"Sorry…sir…but I have had enough…you don't have to like me or help me anymore… you don't know anything about me to like or dislike me….please let me be and work here… this job really means a lot to me…" Khushi said turning around as tears threatened to fall from her eyes.
"Khushi…..just let me explain….please.."
Khushi reached for the doors and looked at him with pleading eyes.
"No…. I don't want to hear unless it is not anything official.."
"Fine…. I don't have anymore time left to fight with you… I am leaving for a vacation and will be back after 1 month of time…" Arnav said and left the room, his eyes still on her while she fidgeted with the cloth in her hand. She did not know why the news of him leaving the resort pierced her heart like anything. Why the pain, when she did not even care for him?
"Bye…Khushi…"
Arnav said as he climbed down the rocky stairs and disappeared to the passageways. Khushi almost ran towards the door for a last glimpse of him and found him staring at her from the corner of the way and she hid behind the door, like she always did upon getting caught.
"I will miss you"
He whispered before walking back towards his room and Khushi understood by the way his lips moved.
Why this, all of a sudden? Khushi asked herself as she put a hand on her wildly beating heart and the way it pained at his last words. This is all an illusion which soon will subside before he is back from his vacation. Khushi assured herself as she got back to her work, but her mind was occupied by only one person, who just left her speechless for the first time.
"Khushi…. I really really like you…"
His words echoed in her ears and she closed her eyes holding onto the handle of the closet as if it would help her overcome the feelings which was bubbling inside her.
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The place was dark and very dirty unlike the places Khushi lived in the past. she had no other option rather than following Sugandha who happened to be her life savior at the time. The relatives of her Malik's had sold out the house to some real estate agents and had thrown Khushi out, without any mercy.
Khushi, however left the place without making any scene infront of everyone..she knew…that one day she had to leave that house…and it was the time. She carried her belongings, which was a pair of dress and a slipper and few notebooks that her Malik's daughter had given her to study.
Sugandha stopped on her tracks and Khushi came back from her trance, almost bumping onto Sugandha's back. She turned around and placed a finger on her lips, shooing Khushi from talking anything.
Khushi looked over Sugandha's shoulder and found a man, who seemed like a security guard, and yeah he was sleeping peacefully on duty. Sugandha tiptoed to the maingate of the building and opened it without making any noise. Khushi did not quite understand what she was upto, and Khushi could not even ask as why she was sneaking into that particular building.
"Are you coming or not?" Sugandha asked holding the iron bars of the gate while Khushi nodded her head looking at the man frighteningly. Her heart was in her throat as they made their way inside.
"Where are we going?" Khushi whispered clutching Sugandha's free hand while she shushes her once again. it was a huge house with huge garden in the front. Khushi's face broke out into a smile as she watched the fountain in the middle of the lawn and a beautiful swing next to the same.
Khushi was too lost in the view and had forgot to follow Sugandha inside.
"Come inside, when you are done with the sight-seeing" Sugandha groaned and got inside the door which was ajar. Khushi panicked and almost ran to the door holding her bag safely in her hands as she did so.
It was a small room, appeared to be a worker's quarters. There were two beds and a table in the middle. White washed walls and marbled floor. Sugandha removed her slippers and sat on one of the bed and asked Khushi to sit on the other.
"This is where I work as a maid and there was some other girl too with me, but she escaped with her boyfriend last week… I did not even know if that was her boyfriend…" Sugandha giggled holding her stomach while Khushi heard her carefully.
"I'll ask my Madam to hire you in her place…presently I am working at this restaurant..you know that…its only part time and later I have household works here…this is the house of the Restaurant owner…"
Sugandha said removing her hair from the bun and Khushi watched her long hair mesmerizingly.
"But…we will have to find another way..if she refuses to take you as a maid…." Sugandha said sadly and Khushi's face fell instantly, thinking about the things she had to face to survive in the world called "Mumbai"
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Khushi looked up at the grey sky, it was going to rain, she assumed as he got out of the room, holding few pillows in her hands, that she had to take to the lounge. Did he left already? She thought walking towards the lounge and found the couches occupied by the accountant who was briefing something to Arnav.
She hesitated and placed the pillows on the edge of the table and waited for them to move to the chairs. Khushi's heart skipped a beat as she found Arnav's eyes on her instead of the laptop screen and the conversation the accountant was having with him.
"Sir… that's all I had to ask you before you leave… have a happy journey sir.."
Srinivasan said shaking his hands with Arnav's while Arnav smiled at the man lovingly.
"Thank You Srini…hopefully I will be back by the 7 th of next month… till then you need to take care of everything…. Well Mr. Suresh Menon from our Pondicherry office will join Red Cedars for 1 month…until I am back.. so please co-operate with him…he is a new appointment and on his probation period…" Arnav concluded wearing his blazers as rain started pouring down followed by loud thunders and lightening.
Khushi almost dropped the pillows from her hands as she got frightened by the sound of thundering and Arnav looked at her with concerned eyes.
"Are you alright?" Arnav asked nearing her while she nodded her head picking up the pillows and placing it on the couches with trembling hands. srinivasan left the lounge holding his umbrella as he had some important mails to check and send the replies before Arnav Sir had left.
Arnav stood at the entrance of the lounge while Khushi hesitated to walk out there as she did not had any umbrella with her. and the fact that Arnav had removed an umbrella from one of the cupboards and was waiting for her to join made her all the more uncomfortable.
"Are not you coming…? Its getting late…" Arnav said opening the umbrella and stepping outside while Khushi looked at him with a mixed glint in her eyes, hesitation and shyness.
"I wont eat you…Khushi.." He said with a chuckle and asked her to join him. khushi did not think this time and stepped next to him, keeping a clear distance with him as they walked towards the main office.
Her heart beat painfully against her ribcage as he touched her shoulders and tilted the umbrella onto her sides as the wind took it pace startling them. Her heart was in her throat as his fingers brushed on her shoulders and held her at place, saving her from getting wet.
Khushi thanked her lucky stars as they reached the office and Arnav gave her the umbrella for herself so that she can leave for her house, safe from the rain.
"Thanks.. and…. Have a happy journey…sir.." She said hesitantly and left from there while Arnav looked at her retreating back with a sad smile on his face. Only if she understood what she really meant to him. he thought getting inside the office to take his luggage as the taxi driver waited for him at the gate.
Khushi could not believe as why she was behaving so rudely with him. he just said that he likes her, does not he? Why does not she just accept it and let her feelings out too. Its not that she did not liked him nor hated him. her heat soared at the look in his eyes as she had lashed out on him in the morning.
Was I too rude to him? she asked herself walking towards her house, with a mixed feeling in her heart.
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