Love By Chance Two Shots
Chapter 1 : Pyar Hua Chupke Se
"That Lavanya is pissing me off!!"
"Why don't you ignore her and concentrate on work, Khushi ma'am."
"Just because she is Payal jiji's sister-in-law, I am tolerating her." Khushi was twisting her dupatta.
Anjali ignored her colleague's constant rant that she was enduring since past an hour.
Examining the last History answer copy, Anjali put the aggregate marks on the sheet.
"Finally it's over." She tied all the papers in a bunch. Khushi was still fuming over Lavanya's attitude who seemed to have removed Khushi's name as the in-charge of Cultural Festival next month. It was a very celebrated event of 'Gurukul Institute of Arts & Science'.
"Let's go. Isn't it time of your period?" Khushi didn't answer anything.
"What will all the students think of me Anjali ma'am? My image is already tarnished due to her."
"Good Morning ladies!" They looked at the handsome epitome-Arnav Singh Raizada, the Assistant Professor, Department of Economics.
"Morning sir." Anjali answered while Khushi ignored him. 'Bitch's boyfriend.'
"Hello Khushi ma'am!" He addressed Khushi getting no response from her.
"Hi!" She snapped. While Anjali covered up, "She is not feeling well actually."
"Oh, you should rest then ma'am." Arnav's worried voice riled her up, while Lavanya who had just come also clenched her jaw.
"Arnie, I think we should leave her alone for sometime. She needs time to cope up, isn't it Khushi?"
Lavanya's voice was full of sarcasm. She couldn't take her boyfriend showing worry for someone else specially that Khushi.
Khushi's sister Payal was getting married to Lavanya's brother Aakash.
Both Lavanya and her mother Manorama were against this marriage, but Aakash was hell bent. That led to the constant bickering sessions between Lavanya and Khushi who were teaching in the same college.
Suddenly an idea came to Khushi's mind, "Don't worry Arnav Sir, I'm fine." Seeing Lavanya so worked up, Khushi tried to have some fun. In the same sweet tone she continued, "Just a bit dehydrated. Do you have water?"
"Haan, here it is!" Arnav frowned at the weird behavior of Khushi. Taking the bottle from Arnav, Khushi touched his fingers deliberately, while Lavanya fumed.
Arnav cleared his throat. He didn't want to be the centre of his possessive girlfriend's wrath. "Excuse me, it's my lecture time. See you."
"Actually Arnav....Sir. I am also going towards classroom section. I hope you won't mind if I come with you. I am feeling a bit dizzy." Khushi held her head, acting to be sick.
Anjali looked preplexed at her friend. 'What have gotten into her head?' While a grinning Khushi and nervous Arnav moved out of the staff room leaving behind a mad Lavanya.
That's how Khushi got the perfect plan to tease Lavanya. So she started to be with Arnav when Lavanya is around, as much as possible. Acting to be her virtual girlfriend!
"Arnav sir", she knew that Lavanya was watching, "Will you taste these jalebis? I have prepared it with my own hands."
The most pitiful creature in this cat-fight was Arnav. Since Khushi had started behaving so lovey-dovey, his love life had become hell. He was also affected by the unprecedented love from Khushi Kumari Gupta. But he knew that she was acting just before Lavanya.
Now he couldn't behave harsh with the very beautiful woman, for the sake of his girlfriend. He had no choice.
"No ma'am thank you. I am diabetic."
"Oh Arnav sir...I have prepared it sugarfree. Whole college knows that you are diabetic."
Khushi could see Lavanya hurrying towards them. She was chitchatting with those college boys who considered her as the hottest professor in the college.
'Wearing skimpy, clingy sarees and deep neck blouses to pollute young minds!!'
Khushi immediately sat on the vacant chair beside Arnav when she sensed Ridhima behind her. "Take it na Arnavji...", she put hands on his shoulder, "You are so sweet that even sugarless jalebi will become pleasured." Her voice was husky.
"Khushi, it's enough!!" Lavanya was pissed off.
"Oh, Lavanya!! I didn't see you." She blinked her eyes slowly.
"Just shut up and stay away from Arnav! Don't you feel ashamed trying to woo a committed man?"
"Oh no Lavanya! I will never do such thing!" She was faking worry. "I thought Arnav sir loves you. Did something happen between you two?"
"No, no Khushi ma'am. Nothing like that. What are you saying Lavanya? Wooing and all...You know I love you." Arnav had known that Lavanya was not liking proximity between him and Khushi. But they had not yet talked about it openly.
Lavanya stomped her leg and went away from there. When Arnav tried to follow her, Khushi again stopped him."Arnav ji, jalebi!" Arnav sighed. Now he was sure that he is being exploited between these two women.
._._._.
Khushi was dressed in biege lehanga with backless blouse. Styling her hair open she had pinned the net dupatta to the side. It was her sister's marriage today and she was busy in wedding preparation.
It had been three months since her game of 'Annoying the hell out of Lavanya'. A lot had happened in this period. It had started to trouble Lavanya and Arnav's relationship, while Arnav seemed to be affected the most. His behavior had also changed. He had stopped consoling Lavanya every time she got angry.
"Professor Arnav and Professor Lavanya were having some trust issues. They were fighting in the Chemistry lab." Whole college was buzzing with the latest talks of the popular couple.
"I think Professor Arnav likes Professor Khushi. He looks more happy with her. That Professor Lavanya always tries to dominate the Greek God." Another gossip was in the canteen!!
Khushi was also not oblivious to it.
"Khushi ma'am, in your childish strife, you are putting their relationship at stake. It's too much now. Please stop it." Anjali had admonished her.
"That should be the problem of Lavanya. Her behavior hasn't changed a bit, Anjali ma'am! I am protecting Arnav sir from that witch!!"
Khushi couldn't see any problem in harmless flirting with Arnav. He was a decent man, always in limits. Twice he had offered her to drop her home. 'Once it was raining and second time my scooter had broken.'
Only once they had gone for a cofee. 'That because I had got cold and Arnav sir insisted on having something hot...beverage.'
Except that everything was formal between them in the absence of Lavanya.
Khushi inspected the dining arrangements lest Manorama aunty would start her drama. She was going towards mandap when she collided with something hard. She looked up only to see a very handsome Arnav. He had held her from falling down with his one hand on the bare back and one on her thin waist.
She steadied up but Arnav didn't leave her, still in stance.
'She is looking so beautiful.'
"Arnav...ji sir!!"her voice sobered him up and he removed his hands.
"No need to add ji or sir. Arnav is fine. We are not in college anyways." He said sheepishly.
"Huh!! Haan. Hmm." She didn't know what to say. She seemed to be too much affected by his cologne or his crisp golden kurta or his perfect jawline. She couldn't think properly.
"I am glad you could attend the marriage." Finally she found her voice to say something sane.
Before they could talk further, Khushi and Arnav's mothers appeared there.
"Khushi, did you check with Panditji?"
"Haan Ma. He is in mandap." She introduced Arnav to her. While Arnav introduced them with his mother.
"Thank you very much Ratnaji for coming."
"Don't be formal Garimaji, after all we will be relatives!"
While everyone looked confused on Ratna's comment, she clarified, "Don't you know, Lavanya and Chhote, I mean Arnav will be engaged soon."
"Oh, I didn't know. Congratulation samdhanji!" Khushi's mother hugged Ratna while faces of both Khushi and Arnav became pale.
Both of them excused themselves and vanished in opposite directions.
._._._.
Khushi was arranging her cupboard. It had been a week since her sister's marriage. She heard her parents talking while having tea on a Sunday afternoon.
"One of our responsibilities is over. Now we should concentrate on Khushi." Her mother was determined to marry off Khushi soon.
"Why do you worry so much Garima! Let her enjoy some more days of freedom, to concentrate on her career!"
"Shashi! She is already in such a good job. She can also enjoy life after marriage. If marriageable age will slip away, it will be difficult to find good proposals. She is already 27!"
Khushi sighed. Since her mother heard about Anjali's engagement, she had started pestering her. She had even planned to marry off both daughters simultaneously.
"My friend Madhumati's son is doctor. I have seen him in Payal's wedding. If you say I will talk to her. If both Khushi and him like each other then we'll...." Her mother's voice trailed off behind as Khushi came to balcony.
The marriage talks were making her restless.
._._._.
She posed for a photo with the newly wed Anjali and Shyam in their reception party. She was looking breathtakingly beautiful in the blue anarkali.
It had been two months to her sister's marriage. She saw Lavanya coming towards the stage with Arnav. The facade of Khushi-seducing-Arnav was not over yet. In fact it had become a routine now. Both of them didn't feel awkward about it. Lavanya was still the same- Torturing Arnav, and trying to keep him away from her.
"You are looking drool worthy Arnav sir!" She chirped in as they stood beside the couple for the pictures. Arnav ignored her. Khushi had purposefully come to his side from the other corner. While Lavanya was holding him from other side.
Khushi felt immense bliss seeing that frown on Lavanya's head. But when she tried to hold Arnav's hand, he didn't let her. 'It's not first time that I am holding his hand.' Khushi felt a pang.
In these 5 months, Khushi had clinged to him, hugged him and there was even a peck on cheek by her. But both of them knew that it was not serious.
When she sit for the dinner beside him, Arnav had changed his seat with one of their colleagues. Now it was disturbing for Khushi. 'He is ignoring me. Let him. He is not my boyfriend anyway.'
She pretended to be not affected but she was feeling like crying.
As usual Lavanya started showing off.
"You know, Arnie has gifted me these diamond earrings. He is so romantic na. I feel so lucky with him. But some people are so unlucky that nobody even looks at them." She took jibe on Khushi, while talking to one of her friends.
Khushi wanted to answer her back but her head had started aching badly. She decided to call it a night.
"Khushi ma'am it's late. How will you go alone? You didn't bring your scooty, did you?" Anjali asked her.
"I'll tell someone to drop you. There must be some driver around." Shyam told her.
"No jeejaji, it's ok. Everybody is busy. It's just 11, I'll get a rickshaw." She denied them, and come out of the reception venue.
It was very dark ouside, with dark clouds ready to pour down heavily. Her parents were not in the city. While her scooter was showing tantrums so she had left it at home.
Even after an hour she couldn't find any rickshaw. She saw Arnav and Lavanya coming out and sitting in the Arnav's car.
'Why is she standing alone?' Arnav looked at her
"Lavanya, I think Khushi ma'am is looking for a ride. We should help her."
"Arnie!! Did you forget what I have said to you. Girls like her lure rich men, as her sister had done. Don't come into their trap. Just ignore her from now-on or forget our relationship."
Arnav contemplated whether to do what Lavanya said. But her last sentence made him ignore his heart.
Arnav and Lavanya's fathers were childhood friends. Both had decided to change their friendship into kinship. His marriage with Lavanya was decided since their childhood. When they came to age, he didn't object his parents' decision. Lavanya was a beautiful girl, educated and from a well-to-do family. Although a bit obnoxious, he had accepted her as his to be life-partner. Or he had thought so....
Khushi saw the vehicles going past her.
'I don't need anyone's help.' She held her head high and started walking on the now empty road. The stormy winds had started and she couldn't find any rickshaw or taxi. She should have accepted Shyam's offer.
Suddenly it started raining. She took shelter under a tree while her wet outfit was not any helpful. Taking her phone out she tried to call someone or NK but it had no network.
She felt the lights of a vehicle on her. An all-men jeep had slowed down. A sense of phobia engulfed her while she could imagine all the things that could happen to an alone young girl in a rainy midnight.
Before she could think of something else, a car stopped just ahead of jeep. She ran to the other side of car when she saw the person on driver-seat. As soon as she closed the door, the car moved away.
"What were you thinking, standing there alone in this state?" He blasted on her, as soon as he came out of the numbing shock. He had panicked seeing her in that situation. After dropping Lavanya he had come back.
'Just to check if she has gone home safely.'
But not finding her near the reception venue, he decided to go back home only to find her on that road.
"I think....There was no rickshaw...My phone...", she was shivering badly.
Her answer didn't help him to cool down. "Do you know what could have happened if I have not come there?"
"Says the person who didn't even ask a needy person for lift!" She couldn't take his ironic comments any more.
"Why do you think I come all the way back in the middle of a stormy night? To count the trees on highway?"
Khushi had no proper words to retort back. The panic, tension and the cold temperature and his behavior in the reception had affected her.
All through the way they didn't talk anything. After their outburst both of them were engrossed in their own thoughts.
Their communication was never such streamy. Either it was just hi-hello or one or two light hearted things that had started since last 5 months. Anger, attitude, ego, sorrow were never part of it, until today.
He stopped the car before her house. Without uttering any word, she tried to run away not wasting any second.
"Khushi!!!"
She ignored him.
She reached the door, only to find that she had forgotten her handbag in the car.
Sensing his presence behind her, she turned back only to slip in his arms. The warm proximity in the cold weather started affecting them. But before they could lose senses her phone rang. She snatched her phone from Arnav's hands.
"Hello...yes I have reached Anjali ma'am...had lost the network...I'll see you later." She cut the call while he was waiting there under the portico with her.
"Thank you!!" She couldn't decide, why she was thanking him.
"Khushi, I want to tell you that...we...you should..." He didn't acknowledge her gratitude.
"Don't worry Mr. Raizada. I got the message. I won't bother you ever." She sensed where he was hinting.
"Listen Khushi, I never told you anything. But now I think things are serious. I am getting engaged to Lavanya next week. I don't know what it is between you two, but please don't bring me in."
'Your fake love is affecting me in real.' He wanted to say but couldn't.
"I will not even see your face now onwards." She said annoyingly.
"It's not like that. I just want you to behave maturely."
Her anger rised hearing him.
'So I am childish. And that Lavanya??'
"Good Bye." Was it her last goodbye.
She turned her back towards him not wanting to talk about anything.
Closing the door behind her she went directly to her bedroom. Changing in fresh clothes she plopped on the bed. Amid continuous trail of tears she went into deep slumber.
Arnav was driving aimlessly in the stormy weather all night. As dawn neared he realized that he was angry at something which even he didn't know.
'Did I fall in her love?'
._._._.
"I am getting engaged to Lavanya next week." The sentence was still annoying her mind next morning. She even dreamed of their marriage last night. Frying another batch of jalebis she put them in the syrup.
'Did I fall in his love?'
"What is the matter, Khushi?" Her mother asked sensing something wrong with her daughter since they were back in the morning.
"I am ready to get married to NK, Ma. Ask Madhumati aunty if engagement can be held next week or before that." She had perplexed her mother who had accepted failure after nudging her for marriage a million times.
._._._.
She was looking like a princess in Red lehanga. As per her wish the engagement was decided to be held next week but a day earlier than his.
'Because...NK of all the people in the world has to be the cousin of Arnav.'
The treacherous week was very hard on both of them. They had ignored each other in the college but still missed each other. Khushi had got so much into the fake wooing game, that it was seeming realistic.
The whole college had come to know that "Professor Arnav and Professor Khushi broke up." Lavanya seemed to be happy while Anjali had asked, "Are you sure you didn't fall in love with him?" She had avoided the talk while Arnav had observed her the whole week. Not able to ward his eyes off her.
Now when he saw her in his favorite color, with that ring ready to slip in that NK's finger, he was feeling nauseous. Why did he have to come here? Why was he feeling so enraged? And the most strange thing was that he didn't know the answer.
"Let's start the ceremony." Her mother's voice seemed to have stabbed her. Why was she feeling that this was wrong. She should not have to get engaged just because he was starting a new life.
NK took her hand to slide the ring.
"Stop it. This engagement can't happen." She looked up listening Arnav's voice.
"Khushi, I know that you are doing this for our families, but don't punish us with this." She couldn't understand what he was saying.
"What happened Chhote! What punishment?" Ratna asked.
"Ask your daughter-in-law." He held Khushi's hand.
"What?" Garima, Ratna, Manorama and Madhumati screamed simultaneously.
Khushi's mind was not working.
'Why is he lying? Did he go mad?'
"Khushi, what is he saying. Are you married?" Garima was clueless.
"Ma..." Before she could elaborate further, Arnav interrupted again. "Aunty, I mean Ma", Ratna widened her eyes when he addressed Garima as Ma, "let me talk to her. Come Khushi, let's sort this out. Our families need to know." Before anyone could tell anything he pulled her to one of the rooms.
"Have you gone nuts or did you hit your head somewhere?" She was super-angry while he locked the door and pulled her to the wall.
"What do you think? Only you can act?" He said coming close.
"Don't be a Laad Governor! What rubbish were you talking? Marriage, punishment...?"
Before she could tell anything further, she was involved in a mind-numbing-heart-opening kiss. When they broke apart breathless she was frowning.
"I love you!" Just three magical words from him and silence.
"Is it also a lie? A revenge? An act?'' She asked with tears. In reply another aggressive kiss followed. Her blouse dori got opened while his shirt buttons were not in place.
After 5 minutes, she was totally disheveled, so was he. Their actions speaking louder than words.
"What do you think now?" He asked with their foreheads touching.
"I will act with you in this. Just promise me that you will kiss me the same way, even if we get old." She said panting.
"Even if you loss all your teeth and your flawless face hide in wrinkles, I will kiss you like this only." He was turned on. They heard knock on the door. "But you should wear red more often."
She grinned while pulling him to herself, "Let's seal it with a kiss, SIR!"
"As you wish MADAM!" The knocks had increased.
._._._.
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