Bahut dard ho raha hain..Chodiye...[Its paining alot..Leave me] Khushi squirmed in her sleep trying to wriggle herself from strong grip...The grip got firmer and deathening, forcing her slumbered eyes to squinch at the grip.
Strong set of knuckles wrapped around her wrist and lean fingers dug into her skin tenaciously..I am hurting..Leave me...She painfully pleaded but when it got worse and she felt tremors and heated vapors that she instantly shot upright.
Kya ho raha hai aapko...[Whats happening to you] She frantically tried to get hold of Arnav who laid shivering in anguish, his forehead creased in sweat pearls, vacillating his head in torment. While his one hand clutched the satin sheets, the other held Khushi's wrist on his chest in deadly grip.
Chal hatt...Mein tere baap nahi hoon...
Tujheee yaheen kachre se uthaya tha meine...kachre se...
Tu bhikari hain...Isske siva kutch nahi hopayega...
Whats happening to you? Uthiye...[Wake up] She tried to wake him up cupping his face, pressing his forehead. Seeing no response to her words, She sat on her knees and vigorously tried to free his other palm from the sheets.
He mumbled something in distress which Khushi couldnt understand. As his lips twitched and a feeble cry of woe escaped, she became alerted and forcibly pulled her arrested palm dragging his along and cupped his face steady in place...Its just a dream...Please wake up...nothing to be afraid of..just a dream...She kept saying in soothing voice.
Tu akela aaya aur akelaa hee jayeega..
tu kachra hain..tu kachraaa...kachraaa
He held her wrist firmly with his both hands and woke up with jerk & loud gasp startling her.
She immediately recovered seeing him all lost and jumped closer. She stroked his forehead whispering...Its OK...Its just a dream...
He jolted back suddenly in delusion assuming he is at unknown place. Arnav squeezed his head between his palms and let out a frustrated sigh.
Drink water. She sat on her knees and tried to force him to drink when he refused. Taking the water bottle from his hand, she dabbed her pallu on his forehead wiping off the sweat, her voice trailed off in concern, Are you OK? Kya hua aapko? [What happened to you?] Was it a bad dream?
He stopped her hand and put it down gently looking at her in daze. Talk to me, did you had bad dream? She questioned again.
He looked away hesitantly and walked away to the bathroom but not before acknowledging her questions with a subtle nod, while she looked at him perturbed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next 2 days passed in a breeze as Arnav was swarmed with meetings and reviewing the preliminary details of the impending takeover in Boston that was long planned before. Amidst the recent developments in his personal life and the excitement to introduce Khushi to Ashu, Arnav totally forgot about the forthcoming trip to Boston that was long ago scheduled to be today and thanks to Aman for throwing that bomb.
After heated argument between the partners/buddies, both hit the common ground and changed the itinerary to accommodate everyone's plans. The flight to HYD which was supposed to be in the evening pre-poned to this morning and after spending the day with Ashu/Rahul/Khushi, he will be leaving with Aman & Adi at 10PM to Boston.
Adi was not planned to join them but Arnav insisted that he must accompany them and no exceptions. Aman was not quite happy and when asked, Khushi cant join me as she needs to handle her business and I cant leave Adi here around Khushi in my absence, was Arnav's curt reply.
How long will you be doing this? Aman started getting worried that Arnav is becoming way too possessive and obsessive towards Khushi so much that he is constantly worried about her more than anything else and he doesnt want Khushi to feel suffocated with his over protectiveness.
Until I believe that Adi had nothing to do with any of these happenings in my life, was Arnav's ambitious reply.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Welcome aboard Mr. & Mrs. Raizada. The air hostess of Korean Nationality greeted the couple with flower bouquet.
Lets get out of here ASAP. Arnav commanded the hostess and pilot as he walked in holding Khushi hand.
Khushi's breath got hitched looking at the small yet cozy palatial private jet in typical ASR style..Black & White...She smiled to herself with that thought...
He waited for her to sit and once he assured himself with his own eyes that she looked comfortable, he arched his shoulders back and removed his suit jacket in a jiff and handed it over to the airhostess.
The lady lean and athletic dressed in grey and black business formals handed him a set of papers to sign saying Jet Departure Clearance Papers.
His shoulders squared, chest broad and puffed up, feet little apart, lips twitched in seriousness, eyes narrowed in concentration, hand signing away royally, he was a sight to behold for Mrs. Raizada.
Khushi resting her cheek on her fist admired his domineering stance that demanded great amount of attention and stately respect. He looked spectacularly handsome and incredibly charming, she deduced curving her lips in shy.
The next moment she found him seated buckling his seatbelt while the bouncers he arranged for Khushi's safety in HYD took the seats in front of them few feet away.
Sooo did I pass the look test? He asked catching her off-guard.
Utterly failed. You need to work on certain flaws. She smiled sheepishly.
He nodded his head as a matter of fact, Well, I dont mind you calling those certains as flaws, if they make you ogle at me like the way you had been doing for last few seconds.
I was not. She looked away shyly and she added as an afterthought...Do you always flirt like this with all women?
Jealousy..He thought imagining her going all furious spotting him with another woman but he is not someone who would give a simple answer and make her happy. Is that a concern?
Khushi looked flustered, No Not at all.
Thats good then. I am glad it doesnt affect you. He tried to read her and he got what he anticipated, a fazed Khushi.
Hearing the pilot's announcement for the take off and looking at the audience seated infront of him, Arnav swore shaking his head in frustration.
I really love this jet, just perfect. You are becoming a miscreant fusser about such small thing. Khushi chuckled amused at the rate he transforms into tantrum toddler in secs.
Apparently, Aman decided to fly in the bigger jet for the trip to Boston with HYD as stop over to pick up Arnav at night and asked Arnav to take the smaller one. Arnav had been sulking over that for umpteenth time in last one hour as the smaller one lacks privacy.
He will pay for it. There he goes one more time sulking as he leaned against the seat more relaxedly. As the jet took off, Khushi looked out the window enthralled with the dazzling morning lights of the Mumbai city which never seemed to be asleep.
The first time I took flight to fight you as enemy and I cant believe I am now taking the return flight totally in contrast to that. She looked up at him as she finished.
Quite an adventure that was. I am just glad that we both are still alive. Both chuckled remembering their kitchen fight. She wanted to ask how the blood got on her forehead that day but she decided to save it for later as she needed to know more important things.
Will you be honest with me if I ask you something?
Depends.
Yes or No.
Again it depends! was his determined reply.
She took deep breath to get herself composed with his stubborn answers, I am seeing you every morning waking up in tremors. I...
Just a bad dream Khushi, you shouldnt worry about it. He cut her off sternly taking her hands in his. And she understood that its his way of denying answers.
I know you dont want to talk about it but just tell me this, Is your life in danger? Is that why you are having those nightmares every morning? Is that why these bouncers are here? Is that why so much security around the house?
Khushi, the fact that I am keeping quiet illustrates the magnitude of the situation we are in, which I am not ready to discuss yet. But let me assure you this, My life is not in danger. I know how exactly you will react learning certain facts, so let me handle our problems while you enjoy the smiles. He tried to cheer her up but all he got was a disappointed stare.
I just want to let you know that I am working this relation because I want to not because you want me to. And I am sure, that is how you feel about us. So I am willing to put an end to this discussion now hoping that one day you will answer my questions without having to ask again. She asked opening her palm seeking a promise.
He nodded interlocking his fingers with hers, Let me ask you something. What is your opinion on orphans? Out of nowhere, He popped the question with bated breath as his palm turned sweaty against hers. Her answer decides their relation and 2 other lives. As much as he was anxious to hear her reply, he was scared to hear anything else other than what he intended to hear as the dynamics of their relation may change.
They are the purest souls on this earth. She smiled remembering Ashu and Rahul. He felt relieved and prepared himself for the next question. But in the mean time, Khushi mumbled in trance, I miss them so much.
Who?
Hn?
Whom do you miss?
You know what. I have 2 best friends and wondering if its possible for you to meet them today. Her eyes glinted in excitement.
I dont think we have time today Khushi. I have to drop in at the office for few hours and then I have to take you somewhere. I will meet your friends next time.
She nodded in disappointment.
He took deep breath and popped his next major hurdle, What do you think of the concept Adoption?
I think..wait a min, why are you asking me not-so-ASRish questions?
He chuckled, Just answer my question, I am trying to know you better.
She looked at him suspiciously before answering, If every capable family could adopt a child, there will not be so much sadness in this world. Those abandoned kids dont deserve those tears nor that kind of treatment from their parents. Dont you think?
He stared at her in disbelief trying to imprint her each word in his heart, the words that mirror his well rooted thoughts.
She gestured what fluttering her eyebrows. And the next moment she found him leaning over to her. His fingers left her fingers and slided underneath her earlobe as he cupped her jaw with one hand and pulled her closer.
What are you doing? There are people around. She tried to protest splaying her palm against his chest.
Not giving any heed to her pleas, he angled his head and gave a slurpy smooch on her ear. Her breath stuck in her throat like fizz in the soda threatening to erupt any moment, feet lifted off the ground barely resting on the curled toes like a snail withdrawn to its shell, her hands held onto his wrist for mercy like she is not going to make it to finish line, her tummy vibrated like something inside being churned into jelly, her eyes squeezed shut scared of playing peek-a-boo with her own desires yet she loved the feel of his virile firm lips on her alabaster skin.
The idea of simple peck suddenly turned too dangerous for Arnav and before he knew his lips found her delicate ear adorned with ruby strings. The next moment he found himself closing his eyes taking in her natural scent not marred with any artificials, something that he found highly alluring these days. He felt her hands raised up to hold his wrist and he was sure it was more of her need than just a support. So he obliged more for his own sanity and pressed her face further against his lips desperate to quench the inexplicable desire. While his nose slowly made its way behind her ear nudging the soft tissue, his lips pliable to feel the same followed the lead peppering kisses all the way.
The chime of seat belt turn ON indicator broke his trance and he came to standstill realizing that Khushi's side profile (her face) is completely exposed to the men sitting in front. He reached his hand behind the back of her head to switch their side profiles and tucked her head in the crook of his neck hiding her from the bouncers. His other hand encircled her back and took her in embrace while she bunched his vest tenaciously breathing erratic.
Teek ho tum? He whispered into her hair.
She nodded NO frenziedly into his neck.
He chuckled softly placing a kiss into her hair and she rewarded him with a thump on his chest.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pre-Cap: The Revelation..The Shock..The Union
comment:
p_commentcount