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CHAPTER ONE

Mr. Kourosh Arjun wasn't exactly old, Khushi observed. He absently ran his hand through the glorious shock of black on his head. Mid Thirties, she calculated silently. Kourosh looked up from the file holding her papers. The look in his eyes made Khushi's heart bounce. She had just got herself a place in the college. She knew it. Kourosh voiced her thoughts aloud. "Impressive. We have a vacancy. We'd be more than glad to have you aboard," he dimpled. Khushi stopped crumpling the corner of her dupatta. She'd just got into Mumbai's most reputed Law College. Her father would be ecstatic. A small voice nagged her, "But are you?" Khushi had always wanted to be a cartoonist. She loved sketching and caricaturing. Painting however was a different tale. Her mother had always urged her to paint. She had loved anything associated with colors. Khushi thought back at the set of paints that lay untouched in her cabinet. With her Maa gone the paints had suffered her silent treatment. Ironically, she had a very keen sense of colors. She noted the aqua blue shirt and black trousers that fit Mr. Kourosh's build perfectly. In her mind, she sucked out the colors from the shirt and judged his look. Fine enough, she agreed. "Welcome to NLS," he extended his hand. Khushi hesitantly took his hand and gave a timid shake. The cab was parked a little away from the gates of the magnificent building. She turned around to give it a last look. She'd be a part of the throng from tomorrow. This was her last look at the shrine of legal studies as an outsider. Sturdy bricks, licks of fresh paint and an undeniable atmosphere of purpose. Khushi shuddered inwardly. The building itself looked regal and intimidating. Her thoughts went back to Mr. Kourosh. He didn't seem daunting types though. The background held the sun dipping, indicating the the sunshine's peel-off time. Khushi hurriedly stepped into the cab. ||*~*|| Khushi dropped the bag she was carrying. If she was awed by the exterior of Mehra Mansion, the interiors floored her. Every single object in the Mansion yelled about

extravagant luxury. From the classic rust colored Dhesja rugs to the coffee drapes, all spelled class and elegance. Khushi swallowed hard wondering how she'd ever live here. The grandeur was overwhelming. She wanted to pick up her bags and run away as fast as she could. "Khushi," someone softly tapped on her shoulder. Khushi swung around to face the owner of the voice. Sia Mehra pulled her into a hug before she could understand anything. She ruffled Khushi's hair fondly and exclaimed, "You are very pretty!" Akram Mehra came into Khushi's view. He commanded respect on sight. He was tall, with sunken cheeks and traces of gray hair sprinkled near the temples. It suited him. He smiled and his entire face translated into something else. "I just told Sashi that I saw your cab enter the estate. He was worried. Welcome to Mumbai dear. We are more than glad to have you here," he affectionately told. "I'll ask Omi to take you luggage up to your room. You'll want to freshen up before dinner," Sia led her up the marble stairs to a room on the first floor. Khushi mutely allowed herself to be led to her room. Sia Mehra had left her to unpack and settle in. Khushi eyed the room suppressing the shudder. Oriental carpets, a huge bed with cream lace and stain bedspread with matching throw pilllows, neat closets and an authentic Italian desk. She swallowed hard. She wanted to pull the mattress off and sleep on the ground. She couldn't bear to rumple the satin bedspread by sleeping on it. ||*~*|| Khushi finally gave up trying to sleep. Two hours tossing and turning on the bed had exhausted her. She looked around and saw the jug of clear sparkling water. She firmly stood up and padded her feet with her slippers. Gathering courage, she opened the door and sneaked downstairs. She was sure that Akram uncle wouldn't like her roaming around the mansion like at zombie, at two in the night. Her dry throat however tossed the thought away. She needed chilled water. Now. Carefully, she descended the stairs to the main hall. The lights had been put out and people working for the household would have retired to their quarters. She looked up to make sure that no shadows were peeping from the floors above. More relaxed now she quickly crept towards the kitchen, pushed open the door and rushed to the refrigerator.

She sighed with relief and picked up a bottle of chilled water. 'Thirsty' didn't begin to describe how she'd been feeling since the dinner. She too clumsy, too conscious at the dinner table. Akram and Sia Mehra tried their level best to make her feel at home but the sight of the pricy crockery had killed her appetite. She had been scared stiff. She tried limiting her movements and ate rigidly. She was prone to disasters and she didn't want to be a nuisance at the Mehras. Khushi uncapped the bottle and let the cool liquid comfort her dry throat. On impulse she shook the bottle letting water run all over her face, wetting her hair and her baby pink night suit. She felt better. A sudden blast of light blinded her, causing her to shut her eyes reflexively. A swear word danced off her lips before she could stop it. Her heartbeat stopped dead. She fluttered her eyes open, praying fervently to God. She didn't need to get caught in this state by Akram auncle or Sia aunty. She blinked her eyes to let them adjust to the explosion of light. A figure came in view. That wasn't Akram uncle for sure. Khushi felt her stomach contract. He was handsome, whoever he was. He had the lightest shade mocha-tinged skin. His hair was tousled and fell on his forehead in a carelessly attractive way. His jaw was sprinkled with a light stubble that enriched his looks. He was staring back at her with his eyebrows crumpled together. The look on his face made Khushi smile. "Who are you?" he began. Khushi heard the slight stress on the word "you". The tone in which he had spoken sent Khushi hurling off the cliff her heart had been climbing. He was a brat and she knew it by his voice. She thought back helplessly at the number of times this tone had been used on her. Her smile faded and she grabbed her voice. "Khushi...Khushi Kumari Gupta," she stammered. The hardened look on his face melted within the span of a second. A slight smile touched his lips making Khushi's heart flip. "Vikram Aditya Mehra," he smiled and lazily leaned against the counter. Her ears pricked up at the words 'Mehra'. He was the Mehra empire heir! She sank against the door of fridge. "Hey, you okay?" he started forward, concerned.

She straightened herself and plastered a smile across her face. "I'm perfectly fine," she countered. Only then it struck her that she was dripping wet. She felt more uncomfortable now. What a mess! He sensed her growing discomfort and withdrew. The look on his face was unreadable as he said, "Night. Sleep tight." With those words, he exited the kitchen. Khushi stood transfixed waiting for the lights to dim, cursing for making a scene of herself in front of him. ||*~*|| "Morning Khushi," Akram Mehra smiled warmly at her. They were all seated for breakfast. Sia smiled and gestured her to sit. Khushi sat down opposite Sia. It was her first day at college and she was beyond nervous. Infact from the time she'd set foot in Mumbai she'd felt only that sensation. First in Mr. Kourosh's office, then seeing the Mehra Mansion, meeting Vikram Aditya Mehra last night...Everything had just heaped nervousness on her. She felt out of place and odd. Akram Mehra was dressed in a crisp grey, perfectly tailored suit. The air around him was saturated with regality. Her eyes drifted to Sia Mehra. She was, in Khushi's eyes, the embodiment of serene elegance. She wore a comfortable peach chiffon saree which accentuated the flawlessness of her skin. Her hair had been done immaculately into a chignon. She oozed confidence and an endearing warmth. There was something about her that decelarated Khushi's anxiety. Khushi had opted a cerulean blue salwar suit with a string of pearls at the neckline. It looked pretty but she felt gauche now. She ran her hand through her open hair. She hadn't bothered trying anything with her hair for the fear of overdoing it. A cloud of dread was settling in her heart. Was she going to be judged by her clothes in the college? "You look lovely Khushi," Sia smiled at her, making an eye contact. Khushi read the message there. She felt thankful that atleast someone was trying to calm her down. She hastily smiled back in acknowledgement, feeling even more aware of the homely way she was dressed. She'd always been plain. Everyone at school had told her. Pale skinned, too thin were the comments spilling out of every boy's mouth back at school. She had shied away from contests of any sort. They were no good. The only arena where she'd excelled, apart from studies, was sketching. She could make potraits of people in record time. More than sketching her heart was set in cartooning. It was more innovative. She

could use it as an outlet for her opinions on people. She thought back at the time she'd dared to make a cartoon of Sachin. Sachin Verma had been the class hot property. Khushi however thought him to be a rude, careless, chauvinistic fellow. She'd drawn a summary of her thoughts into a cartoon and left it on his desk. She'd faced a week of detention for it, but her class teacher had been amused. "Morning everyone," a cheery voice greeted them. Khushi snapped her neck to see Vikram Aditya Mehra sprinting down the stairs, two at a time. He was dressed casually in a striped green and black tee and black denims. He looked more handsome in the daylight, Khushi noticed. He was exactly the specimen she vowed to stay away from. She'd endured enough at school and she was no masochist to take more. He gave her a quick smile and picked up and apple. "Adi, take Khushi along with you. Introduce her around," Sia told him. Khushi choked on the sandwich. He studied in National Law School! He graciously poured her a glass of water and offered it. She took it from him, staring stupidly. "Oh! She is joining NLS?" Adi dug his teeth into the apple. Khushi neatly used the fabric to wipe her mouth and nodded at him. "See you in the evening Mom," Adi smiled and stood up. He waited for Khushi to pick up her bag. "Khushi just calm down okay. You'll be fine," Sia reassured her. Akram uncle added a smile to veto his reassurance too. Khushi ran to catch up with Adi who was already outside by now. "We are going in that!" she nearly shouted in disbelief. The sleek Porsche Carrera stood before her, dampening her mood. Adi opened the door to her avoiding the cry. She looked at him distraught, "I'll just take a cab." The look he threw her sent her hurling herself onto the seat. Seconds later he got into the driver's seat and the engine sprang to life. "Khushi," he began. Khushi looked hard outside the window. "What's wrong? You seem very disturbed. You are acting like we people are rabid. You seem scared and withdrawn. Has someone done something to upset you?" he asked

with disarming kindness. Khushi heard the genuinity in his voice. She shifted in her seat to face him. He had rolled the windows down to let in fresh air. "No. It's just that you all are filthy rich and I look like a misfit next to you. Imagine to gossip at college when they know a plain Jane is staying at your home. And aren't you supposed to be snooty? You've got the looks and the money," she let her worries fizzle out, on him. He chuckled. "You think am good looking," he drawled making Khushi's ears burn at that little slip. "Whoever told you that all people who are rich have their noses directed perpendicular to heaven? Mom and Dad like you Khushi. Sashi uncle had been the greatest help to them when they had first moved into Mumbai. We started from scratch and came all the way up. Not likely to forgot our beginings right? And as for being a misfit, I don't think so. You'll have guys swooning over you," he winked. Khushi felt the a smile tug at her lips. The whole family was a nice lot. No airs, no arrogance. She felt at ease now. "What does Mr. Kourosh teach?" she asked. Adi left the wheel and threw his hands up in air. "Not you also," he exclaimed. Khushi looked amused. "All the girls in our batch have are nuts over Kourosh Arjun," he supplied, "He teaches Law of Torts." Khushi looked out and saw the building zoom into her view. It looked more impressive today. She played with the corner of her dupatta tentatively. "Khushi relax. Am here. And today second half we don't have classes. There is a soccer match at the grounds," his eyes twinkled with excitement. "Are you on the team?" she asked. "Yes but I won't be playing today," he pointed at his ankle. Only then Khushi noticed that it was heavily bandaged. He hadn't even been limping. "Just a sprain. Coach Shahzar felt it was an important match and he couldn't deal with broken ankles between the game." They got out of the car and Khushi adjusted her dupatta. Adi asked the guard to park his car and fell into step beside Khushi.

"Why did you choose to come all the way to Mumbai to study Law? Delhi would have been closer home right?" he queried. "It was Baba's decision. I wanted to study in Delhi but he insisted on Mumbai," she replied. Khushi looked around at the stares she was attracting. The girls were throwing her looks of absolute envy or total hatred. The guys were looking shocked. With a sinking feeling she registered that she did look abstract walking next to Adi. "I think I should explore the place alone," she gently said. Adi shot her a look. "Khushi it doesn't matter. People will react the way they want too. Or should I be taking that as a subtle hint that you dislike my company?" "No. No. It's not that," she amended. "Then forget it. Lets go to class. I'll introduce you to my friends," he good-naturedly suggested. Khushi stood frozen before the group. Two girls sat on the desk staring at her like she'd played some important role in the movie 'Avatar'. They were classily dressed and had the "B***** I'm the bomb" look splashed across their faces. Two more guys sat behind them lazily scanning her. "Gang, this is Khushi. She's a friend." Khushi caught one of the guys rolling his eyes. She felt breathless suddenly. He looked down at his phone blocking out whatever Adi was saying. She couldn't scan his face as her eyes were glued to his eyes. Deep, penetrating and magnetizing. She felt a flurry of emotion skate down her spine. "That's Ripple," Adi nudged her. Khushi smiled at the girl was still hanging onto the same expression. "Afreen," Khushi was seized by a fear seeing the way the girl was glowering back. "I'm Jay," one of the guys smiled at her. Khushi guardedly smiled back. "And that's my best buddy, Arnav" Adi went over and put an arm around the other guy. Khushi tried to smile but her face felt stiff. A bell sounded causing the girls to jump off the desks and hurry to their seats. Khushi stood their confused. Afreen had pulled Adi away and they both sat on the last bench. Ripple and Jay had chosen the bench before them. Adi looked back at Khushi apologetically. Khushi glanced around and saw the only unoccupied seat was near...

She went around and took the seat next to Arnav.

CHAPTER TWO
Khushi placed her bag between them and began fishing out a book. She felt his gaze upon her. She looked up and their eyes clashed. He wore an expression that looked disturbingly like Edward Cullen's expression when he first met Bella Swan. It bordered on severe toothache and a distinct body odour problem of Bella. Khushi broke the eye-battle and blindly pulled out a notebook. He did look as breathtaking as the Vampires on television, she unconsciously noted. Gray eyes, handsome face, tousled hair and an indifferent air. She tried focusing on the plump lady who had already begun the lecture, two decibels higher than Dolly Bindra. "I'm going to teach you about the Principles of Contract Formation," her voice boomed, zig-zaged through the class, hit the walls and concussed on their ear drums. Khushi rested her arms on the desk, her elbows grazing against his. He was dressed casually in a maroon tee with "What do lawyers use for birth control? Ans: Their personalities" written in stark white on it. Khushi couldn't help the little smile weighing on her lips. "And what is the joke, Desi Girl?" Prof. Kakkad barked. Khushi felt the marker jet through the class towards her. Reflexively, she dodged, letting the marker hit Jay who screamed in pain holding his eye. She stood up, trembling. Prof. Kakkad had those beady eyes which popped out like a child trying to make bubbles with an over-chewed piece of gum. "Sorry Ma'am," she murmured, looking at her hands. Prof. Kakkad sternly asked her to sit down. She could hear Jay cursing her from behind and Adi's welcome laughter. She tried concentrating on what the Professor was saying. Her focus snapped seeing the light on Arnav's phone blinking furiously. Arnav looked at the disturbing device and lazily cut the incoming call. Khushi straightened her neck, gluing her eyes to Prof. Kakkad's face. Again she saw the light flashing out of the corner of her eyes. He cut the call again. "Desi girl," Prof. Kakkad's voice sounded scarily close to her ears. Khushi sat up straight, feigning unshakable attention.

"Section 2(h) of the Indian Contract Act 1872 defines the term contract as 'any agreement enforceable by law'. There are two essentials of this act, agreement and enforceability," she continued. Khushi felt restless. She began shuffling her feet, attracting an angry glare from Arnav. Quietly she flipped to the last page of her book and started cartooning Prof. Kakkad. She could see him ferociously texting someone. She shifted away and continued her cartoon. Twenty minutes later, she stared with satisfaction at the outcome. She had got it perfectly right. From the dent on her nose to the garish rings she was wearing. A silence sheeted the room making her look up. Arnav hastily pushed his phone into the pocket of his pants. Khushi sat dazed not knowing how to react. Prof. Kakkad was making a beeline to where she was sitting. She tore the page with minimum movements, crumpled it and threw it towards Arnav's side. She heard him bite back a growl but she didn't care. "What's you name?" Prof. Kakkad glowered at her. Khushi swallowed hard and said, "Khushi Kumari Gupta." "So Ms. Gupta, will you tell us what is the first essential element in a valid contract?" Khushi quivered and stared back stupidly. "Subtitles please," she muttered under her breath. She'd said it loud enough for the last three rows to hear though. She could see Adi trying real hard to control his laughter. It made her give another silly smile. A mistake. "Ms. Gupta, are you sure you are in the right college?" Prof. Kakkad sized her up, looking up and down at her clothes condescendingly. Khushi's eyes sparked back with defiance. "Haven't thought about it," she shocked herself by replying. It infuriated the woman more. Khushi bit her tongue. What was wrong with her? Why was she acting like this? She had very clean track record at school. She'd never back answered. She'd barely attracted attention of her own classmates. "Student Welfare Officer's office, sharp 5 'O' Clock," she thundered. Khushi looked down, feeling a sense of doom close in. Prof. Kakkad decided to take a detour to the last benches, checking for other suspicious figures. While walking back to the front, she felt a ball of paper collide against her bottle green pumps. She picked up the paper which was near Arnav's foot. A real interesting cartoon was laid on the paper. It depicted a really fat Prof. Kakkad

clutching her tummy. The Caption underneath read "Kakkad ya Bhukkad?" Her ears shot past red and burned magenta now. She looked thrust the paper on Arnav's desk and barked, "SWO, sharp 5." Arnav looked shocked at the paper and tried to protest. The chiming of the bell drowned his voice. Prof. Kakkad marched out of the class in red-hot fury. He rounded on Khushi, ready to unleash his justified anger on her. "What the..." his phone flashed again distracting him. He received the call this time. Khushi breathed a sigh of relief and grabbed the paper back. Adi came over and hoisted himself on their desk, snatching the cursed sheet out of Khushi's hands. "OMFG! Dude, this is E.P.I.C," he exclaimed looking at Arnav who was busily talking away. Khushi interrupted in a dead voice, "It wasn't him. It was me." She sounded guilty. Adi's eyes widened in delight. "Wow! You made this?" he asked, studying the paper again. Khushi nodded mutely, berating herself miserably. She had no business making a scene of herself on the first day of college. "Can I frame this?" Adi chuckled, holding the paper to his heart dramatically. Khushi smiled. Adi was adorable. She noticed the invisible bullets of dislike Afreen was shooting at her. "Afreen is you girlfriend?" she asked in whispers. Adi whispered back, "Sort of." Khushi didn't ask more. She could get him to give details once they got back home. She pushed Adi off the desk and asked him to go back to Afreen. He complied. "You know what. Screw you, Kajjal" Arnav growled into the phone before switching it off. Khushi readied herself. He was in a foul mood and she'd added to his troubles by getting him into a spot. She waited and waited for him to begin. He didn't. He picked up his bag and stomped out of the class. Two minutes later Mr. Kourosh Arjun entered and began teaching about the Law of Torts. ||*~*|| Khushi sat at the table with Adi, Jay and Ripple. Afreen had chosen to skip lunch. The cafeteria was almost empty. Most of the crowd was already in the stadium behind the

college. Khushi picked on the food, her appetite lost in Bermuda Triangle. Jay and Adi were pulling out tees from their bags and chortling. Ripple seemed intent on capturing every dimpled smile of Jay in her memory. Khushi stood up. "I'm finished," she announced. "You and Ripple go on to the stadium. We'll join you people in fifteen," he smiled. Khushi looked at Ripple who contorted her face like she'd been force-fed earwax. "Catch you later then," Khushi bravely smiled and dragged herself out of the cafeteria. Ripple chose to walk in the exactly opposite direction, leaving Khushi to grope her way to the stadium alone. The whole college was abuzz with excitement. Somehow she managed to make it to the stadium. To say that it was overcrowded, would have the understatement of the millennium. Giggling girls stamped their presence with clear majority. "You are Khushi right?" a soft voice nearly made her jump. Khushi looked down at the girl staring back at her. She gestured Khushi to take the seat next to her. Khushi smiled and did so. "I'm Jenny," she smiled. "I'm in your batch," she added when Khushi looked at her with a question mark blinking off her face. Jenny was college popular-clique leader material, Khushi observed. She was dressed in faded blue hotpants and a loose white tee revealing the bare slope of one shoulder. No layers of make-up caked her skin. Lip-gloss and a line of kohl, bare minimum but enough to make her look more stunning. Khushi wouldn't have expected to see a stunner like Jenny alone, in the last row of the gallery. "How was the first day of you college?" Jenny smiled. "You must have seen how it went," Khushi shrugged, thinking about Prof. Kakkad's face. "That's okay. Prof. Kakkad can be quite loud sometimes but she's a genuinely nice person. Am sure she'll let you off with something easy," Jenny reassured. She ripped open a pack of chips and passed it on the Khushi. "Khushi, I was searching for you," Adi's voice caused her to turn the other side.

He was standing there, wearing a tee that read "Arnav- All fired up!" His eyes were focused on Jenny who was smiling back, icily. "Adi, nice tee. Satyameva Jayate, right" she quipped. "Whatever Jenny!" he rolled his eyes and addressed Khushi, "I've reserved you a seat. Coming?" Khushi saw the chilliness between the two. They had a history? "Will you mind if I chose to stay here?" she asked in a small voice. She did want to watch the match with Adi, but she'd rather stay away from Afreen. His face fell but he brightened back in a second. "No problem. Incase you get bored of 'weather forecast' come over," he pointed to the row where the gang was sitting. "I can bet she'd rather listen to weather forecast than sit through 10001 reasons why guys love X-box," Jenny countered. Adi scowled at Jenny and sprinted off to his seat. Khushi sat there trying to assimilate this angle of Adi. "I'm an outcast," Jenny supplied, tying up her hair with a scarf. When Khushi still held on to the surprised look she added, "Long story. Later." A roar went up in the crowd as the team ran onto the field. Khushi squinted to catch glimpses of the captain. "Arnav is the captain," she whispered, more to herself than to Jenny. She should have guessed. The build was perfect. Tall and complete with muscle and sinew. His gray gaze skimmed through the gallery and rested near the area where Adi and gang were seated. A slight smile reached his eyes as he Adi and Jay stood up on the seat, flashing their tees. "Baboons," Jenny muttered under her breath, her eyes fixated on Adi. Khushi felt uneasy. Jenny seemed like a nice girl but she disliked Adi and that was evident. The game began and "Grenades" as they called themselves were on the offensive. The opposing team "Mobsters" looked comical on the field. Khushi watched in awe as the midfielder smoothly passed the ball to the Arnav, who was playing the Striker position. It was a waste trying to tackle him. He was speeding like a fighter jet, purpose bouncing off him. In the next 3 minutes, they'd scored a goal and were now on the defensive. The Grenades had very creative midfielders and centrebacks. They were a boon to the team. The first quarter of the match was done and the Grenades were leading with one goal.

The second quarter of the match went with a balanced performance from the opposing team. They'd hit the field with determination. No goals scored. Half time was up and the third quarter began. Grenades were on the offensive again. This time the exhaustion was was visible. The reflexes of the midfielders had slurred. Arnav was now in possession of the ball. He lunged forward, expertly kicking the ball, dodging the burly defender. Jenny was sitting at the edge of her seat, her knuckles at gone white gripping the hand-rests. Khushi watched on in awe. One burly defender came and elbowed Arnav hard in the ribcage causing him to fall. The crowd screamed "foul" at the highest octave of their throats. The referee blew the whistle and stopped the match. He gave a red card to the burly defender who spat at Arnav and left the field. Arnav stood up, dusting his clothes and totally oblivious to the patch of red staining his shirt near the shoulder. The referee asked the linesmen to call the team doctor. Arnav felt a stinging pain shoot through his shoulder blade and then he noticed the exposing red patch. He immediately removed his shirt. A patch of skin was scraped off. A tide of "Ooohh Aaahhh" rose from the crowd. Khushi looked on guiltily, unable to take her eyes off that smouldering perfection. And then all of a sudden she felt a shock of gray seizing her. He was looking straight at her. Her ears went up in flames ad she tore her eyes away and crumpled the empty chips packet. Arnav chose to ignore the shouts from the gallery and was busy convincing the referee that the injury was minor and he could play. The doctor bandaged the wound and the referee decided to resume the game. The kickoff granted the Grenades a chance to be on the offensive again. Arnav smoothly scored a goal this time. The final quarter of the game began. Mobsters were on the offensive now. They were seething with fury. Grenade "backs" had formed a wall at the end-zone. With an ingenious move the centreback deflected the ball. The Grenades had WON. The team rushed forward and hoisted Arnav on their shoulders. The crowd went ballistic cheering them. Adi had rushed to grab his friend in a bear hug. Arnav's eyes again darted towards Khushi. She heard Jenny say, "Show off!" But she heard the twang of pride in there. Arnav grinned at her. Khushi was taken aback. Why was Arnav grinning at her? And then she heard Jenny shout, "You just got lucky." Oh! So he had been looking at Jenny, Khushi thought. "You are friends with him?" Khushi asked.

Jenny gave her an imitation of Mona-Lisa smile and said, "I'm sloppy at multitasking. I can't handle two roles. He is my brother, not my friend." Khushi felt as though someone had knocked out the sails from her lungs. Jenny and Arnav were siblings! Jenny missed the look on Khushi's face. Khushi hastily arranged her features and retorted, "Oh!" "You have to go to the SWO, I suppose," Jenny reminded casually, "Will see you tomorrow then." She gave Khushi a parting hug and walked away. Why would Arnav's sister be an outcast? And how come Adi didn't like her? Khushi held her fingertips to her throbbing temples and calmed herself down. She took a deep breath and walked to the Student Welfare Office, which she had crossed on her way to the stadium. She was about to knock on the door when Adi appeared with Afreen tagging behind him. She totally ignored Khushi. "You want me to wait?" he smiled. Afreen looked at him confused. "I don't know how long this is going to take," Khushi replied. Arnav appeared behind Adi, still in his uniform. He looked disheveled and a smug smile played around his lips. "Dude, can you drop her off at my place once Kakkad has finished making mince meat of you two?" Adi requested Arnav. Arnav aped Afreen's expression of extreme confusion. "Your place?" he and Afreen started together. "She's staying at my place. Our fathers are inseparable friends," he explained. Afreen looked like she'd seen Bloody Mary. The look on Arnav's face was unreadable. "Sure," he said in a dead voice. Khushi wanted to protest and say that she'd manage but she kept quiet. She didn't want Adi to feel uneasy about any of this. "See you later then," he winked cutely at Khushi and dragged a fuming Afreen away. Khushi locked her gaze with Arnav. Steely, wintry gray piercing into her soul. She shivered involuntarily and knocked on the door.

CHAPTER THREE
The Student Welfare Officer glared at them. The spectacles perched on her nose kept slipping every two seconds. Khushi's vibrant mind was already cartooning her. The nameplate on her desk read Mrs. Sneha Chauhan. "Arnav Singh Raizada," she bellowed. He looked at her with a bored expression. Almost like he was blessing her with infinite good luck by letting his magnetizing gray eyes rest on her. "Talented much eh? Cartooning is our birthright we must do it, especially when Prof. Kakkad is teaching something as important as Contract Formation," she went on. Khushi went stiff. Trickles of guilt leaked into her heart. She knew she was supposed to open her mouth and fess up. But her mind had frozen. She didn't want to tarnish her image more on the first day of college itself. "Shouldn't you be saying something?" Arnav drawled, lazily looking at her. Khushi caught the edge of her dupatta and started crumpling it over and over again. "Why should she be answering for you Arnav? Perks of royalty?" Mrs. Chauhan addressed him. "Look Mrs. Chauhan, Royalty don't sit and draw cartoons? We get them drawn by others. This girl would want to add her comments on this," he superiorly retorted. His comment fired Khushi. Royalty don't sit and draw cartoons...She'd show him. "Ma'am," she began, fluttering her lashes with increased frequency, "I was paying full attention to the class. He kept distracting me. I begged him to stop drawing and pay attention but he chose to ignore it." Arnav rounded on her, shocked. Anger crept into the clear gray and he gritted his teeth, "You better tell her the truth before I make you regret this," he thundered. "Arnav you cannot throw your weight around in my office," Mrs Chauhan roared. Khushi felt her heart lift at the defense. She let a small grin feature on her lips. Screw royalty. "Look Ma'am, if I'd been at fault I'd have taken this crap. But I'm the innocent party here. Stop being so biased. Just cause she flutters her lashes doesn't mean she was victimized," he flattened the heel of his palm on her desk. "Arnav Singh Raizada, I will not have you speaking to me like that. Just because your father is on the board doesn't mean you go around tossing comments like dog

biscuits," she hissed. Khushi was jubilant. Mrs. Chauhan seemed to have totally forgotten that she too had been called in for some offense. She treated herself with a smile. Mr. Hotshot striker had scored a self goal. "You will take this young lady to the Ethnic Meet," she verbalized their punishment. The blood drained out of Khushi's face. The look on his face was priceless, streams of dislike souring his expression. She felt a similar sensation. She'd been hoping that Adi would take her to the meet. But with Afreen in picture she knew she'd be going alone. She hadn't expected to be gift-wrapped Arnav Singh Raizada as the toy she had to drag to the meet. Oh fish! Reverse. He'd be the one dragging her now. "I refuse," he said flatly. He turned on his heel to walk out of the office. Mrs Chauhan's next sentence halted him, "Jenny had submitted some application asking for permission to do her internship under Mr. Juneja. Ripple's application seemed better though," she slyly added. Arnav wheeled around and narrowed his eyes, "That's not fair." "I call the shots. Take this girl to the Ethnic Meet and Jenny gets her internship," she drummed her manicured fingers on the desk. Khushi stared at her, flabbergasted. Cheapest shot of the day went to the SWO. She'd bribed Arnav to take her to the meet. "You win," he muttered, throwing his hands up in the air. Khushi was taken aback at this sacrifice for Jenny. He shot Khushi a look that resembled the way Shah Rukh Khan looked at the germs in the Pepsodent commercial. He disliked her and Khushi knew deep inside that his feeling that way was justified. She'd trapped him in this. Her inability to come forward and confess that it had been her mistake had landed her on the wrong side of his barbed fence. Ethnic Meet with him wasn't going to be all smiles. "And no one falls ill," Mrs. Chauhan cleverly added, propping a blockage in their ideas. Arnav rolled his eyes and grimaced. Khushi stood there trying to think of a way to wriggle out of this. "Ma'am he is speaking the truth. I was the one who cartooned Prof. Kakkad," she impulsively said. She silently hoped that the punishment would be altered. Now only she was the guilty party. He's be allowed to skate off scot-free, leaving her to a generous punishment minus his forced presence.

Sneha Chauhan rested her elbows on the desk decisively, "The punishment remains the same. You may be the one biting off the major fault here but that doesn't wash out Arnav's behaviour in this room. Ethnic Meet, it shall remain." Khushi sighed and looked at Arnav from the corner of her eyes. He was shooting her a mildly curious look. Her last moment confession had perplexed him. "Now out of here,double quick." ||*~*|| "Too bad. You should have fessed up earlier. Now we are stuck," he expired rather bitterly, holding the door open for her to get into the car. She stared at him one long moment, deciding to tell him that he didn't need to give her a ride back to Adi's place. She reached a wiser decision and quietly got in. No use aggravating the situation. Both of them were riled up by Mrs. Chauhan's order. Maybe he was more than her, especially cause he'd been cornered using Jenny's name. "Jenny is your sister?" she asked tentatively, her fingers caressing the CDs in the rack. "Yes." Monosyllabled answers. Strong cues to tell a person that you detest their voice. As if to prove her thought right, he reached forward and pushed the buttons of the music system. Khushi sunk into the seat, fixing her eyes outside. Now she'd be serving 72 hours of solitary confinement, but with a twist. A handsome twist, she admitted to herself. "You stay in Adi's place?" his voice startled her. She turned to face him. He was busy focusing on the road ahead. The wind had tousled his hair more and he looked devastatingly handsome. "Our fathers are inseparable friends," she supplied, "Akram uncle and Baba go a long way back." He seemed to be satisfied with the answer. Khushi directed her gaze away. Arnav was a shade more handsome than Adi but Adi was a thousand shades more nice. Khushi had this odd sensation of freezing to death in this car. Her only hope was Global Warming or rather Arnav warming. She flushed heavily thinking about the innuendo of her thought. She felt tipsy. First the way she'd reacted to Prof. Kakkad, the drama she'd unfurled in the Student

Welfare office and now these wayward thoughts. It was the Mumbai air, she convinced herself. A gentle tug at her dupatta derailed her train of thoughts. She looked shocked into those deep, piercing gray eyes and felt herself fall into nothingness. "Your dupatta," his voice made her snap back. She looked down that the careless fabric that had slithered off onto the gear. She hastily pulled it away and muttered an apology. He didn't seem to hear it though. The rest of the drive she held onto her dupatta for life and he held onto his silence. ||*~*|| Arnav walked her to the massive door of the Mehra Mansion. Adi was already waiting there, holding a mug of steaming coffee. He thrust it under Khushi's nose tantalizing her senses to a point of delirium. Khushi grabbed the mug out of his hold gratefully. She needed it. "Arnav, come on in," he slapped his best buddy's back, "Maa wants to congratulate you on winning the match and showing those Mobsters where they belong." Arnav reluctantly came in. Khushi had put the mug down and was already giving Sia Mehra a tight hug. Her first day been disastrous and Sia's warmth was a necessary relief. "It's okay Khushi," she ruffled her hair fondly, "Just one of those days when nothing goes right. Adi told me all about it. Drink up that coffee and then we'll watch a movie together. It should help," her eyes twinkled reassuringly. Arnav came into view, making her shift her whole attention on him. Khushi stood back, watching them. "Arnav, great game beta," she dropped a peck on his forehead. And for the first time Khushi felt the full blow of his smile. It went beyond making her heart flutter, it stopped her heart dead. His eyes fleeting glanced at her before turning back to Sia Mehra. Adi came and stood next to Khushi, his arm round her shoulder. She looked at him mildly surprised but didn't shift it. He bent low and whispered conspiratorially, "What did Mrs. Chauhan ask you to do?" Khushi threw him a smile and whispered back into his ear, "Join the fake-cartoonist for the Ethnic Meet." They both were unaware of the scowl Arnav was gracing their way. He cleared his throat rather subtly causing them to jump apart. Khushi picked up the mug, for the lack of a better reflex.

"Night buddy," Adi gave in a bear hug, grinning casually. Arnav however twitched his mouth to pass it off as a smile and hugged back. "I guess I'll have to meet you tomorrow," he added to Khushi in a deadpan manner. Khushi swallowed hard. He was lucidly putting across his feelings. He'd rather be in hell than attend the Ethnic Meet with her, but for the Jenny angle. With that he marched out of the Mehra Mansion, leaving Khushi to finish her coffee. ||*~*|| A soft knock on the door caused Khushi to drop the pearl gray dress onto the bed. She firmly planted her feet into the flip flops and marched to the door. Adi stood there dressed impeccably in traditionally embroidered silk kurta pyjama in tawny gold color. It accentuated his features and made it almost impossible for Khushi to stop the gasp from escaping her lips. "You look..." she left her sentence hanging midair. Her appreciative look made Adi chuckle. He walked into the room model-style and showed her various profiles. Khushi smiled. She came crashing back to her own murky situation. She flicked her finger in the direction of the bed, "I'm stuck," she pouted. Adi took one look at the heap of clothes she'd tossed onto the bed and took a step backwards. Khushi looked at him, highlighting her distressed look. Adi breathed out in submission and walked into the arena. He picked up a canary yellow salwar suit and looked at her, "Were you really planning on wearing this?" His expression held untold agony. Khushi felt herself giggling foolishly. "Why salwar?" Adi pushed the clothes away and sat down on the bed. Khushi shrugged her shoulders, "It's Ethnic Meet right?" "Saree is Ethnic too," he suggested. Khushi thought for a second. He was right. "But I don't have any saree," she complained. Adi grinned mysteriously, "That shouldn't be a problem." He jumped up, tugged at her hand and nearly dragged her out of the room. ||*~*|| "You are easily the most stunning out here," Adi nudged her while entering the college. Everyone seemed to stopping and staring at her. Khushi was not convinced though. Her school memories were still fresh and taunts echoed in her ears. She was

plain and would remain so. "I was planning to invite you to the meet but Mrs. Chauhan has a very odd sense of humor," Adi told her as they crossed a group of guys who pretended to wolf-whistle in the opposite direction. "You aren't going with Afreen?" she asked. The raw admiration that was shone in her eyes should have revealed to him that she too wanted to go with him to the meet. "Afreen left today in the morning to visit her family. She is never around here at this time of the year," he replied and prodded her to continue walking. Khushi tried to gauge exactly where his relationship with Afreen was. They didn't seem like the usual footsie-playing couples. It almost felt strained. Adi suddenly froze causing Khushi to look ahead. At the other end of the corridor Arnav and Jenny stood. Her hand was locked in his arm and her head was thrown backwards in laughter. She seemed to feel their looks on her and turned abruptly to catch them staring at her. She flashed a wide smile to Khushi and waved at her. She was dressed in a pretty lavender salwar and chudidaar with white bows at the shoulders. Her glorious mane fell adorably around her face adding a tinge of innocence to her look. Khushi however was looking at the specimen beside her. Arnav Singh Raizada was a chunk of sheer beauty. He was oozing masculinity in the black and gold sherwani he had opted to don. His hair freshly cut and it added a razor-edge magnetism to him. A light stubble sprinkled across his jaw added to the debonair appeal. Khushi's stomach did a might flip and she felt eerily breathless again. He was looking at her. Intense gray. Sia aunty had forced her into a blood red saree which starkly narrated the creaminess of her fair complexion. Minimal make up and a delicate pair of pearl drop earring had completed the look. Khushi hadn't seen anything distinctly great in her reflection but Adi had been harping throughout the drive to NLS that there would a good deal of admiration coming her way today. Khushi didn't know if it was admiration in Arnav's look but she felt the back of her neck prickle at the way his eyes rested on delicate slope of her shoulders. The duo walked towards them. "Someone is oozing gold? Beware of Aqua Regia." Jenny began, directly aiming at Adi's kurta color. He however was too dazed to come back with a smart reply. "I always had a hunch you had the hots for Arnav. But Adi I never knew you had the guts to make it so evident," Jenny tried again to get some response from him. The

taunt hit home. "Just like I didn't know you had the guts to dress like a girl," he bit back. Jenny rolled her eyes, riveted her attention to Khushi. "Khushi you look stunning. I can foresee guys going K-k-kkkhushi over you," she imitated Shah Rukh Khan's famous Darr personality. "I chose the color. Arnav, doesn't she look great?" Adi beamed. Khushi tried smilingly but she was painfully aware of Arnav standing precariously close to her. He just needed to shift his arm a little and he'd brush against her hand. Her entire body seemed to have stiffened in his presence. Her eyes managed to catch a muscle jumping in his jaw. She didn't understand it... What had angered him? "I'll join you people in five," he calmly informed and walked off. "I heard about Mrs. Chauhan's punishment," Jenny addressed her comfortingly, "Arnav is a jerk. But not a world class one," her eyes meaningfully drifted to Adi. Adi chose to ignore the barb and bestow a smile upon a group of giggly girls passing by. "Whom are you going with Jenny?" Khushi asked. "Damon Salvatore," she smirked. Adi sniggered mockingly. "Why don't you two go together," Khushi let the suggestion roll off her lips. "Do you fancy seeing Afreen in Grudge Avatar?" Jenny pointed out. "Afreen has gone to visit her family," Khushi repeated Adi's words. Jenny looked at Adi searchingly. He evaded eye contact and got busy checking out the tiled floor. "Vikram Aditya Mehra and his uncanny tactfulness is a definite turn on, " Jenny stated trying to weigh the suggestion. "And Jenny's tasteful comments are to kill for," Adi addressed Khushi. Khushi realized that she'd blundered making that suggestion. Case of unchangeable disharmony. She excused herself and went to look for Arnav. She'd caught sight of Mrs. Chauhan snooping around the corridor. ||*~*||

She gently pushed open the door. Arnav seemed to have vanished into thin air. She'd checked the entire row of rooms in this corridor and he seemed to be nowhere. Mrs. Chauhan had already halted her and asked her why she wasn't with Arnav. She'd blabbed some excuse and scurried off. The events of the day would begin shortly. Jenny and Adi had already found themselves partners and proceeded to the grounds. The sight that met eyes sickened her. A pretty girl was holding onto the front of Arnav's sherwani and weeping inconsolably. He stonily looked down at her like she was vermin. "Kajjal, I'll really appreciate if you keep your filthy hands off me," he unlatched her hand. letting her crumple to the floor. Her eyes were puffed up and red, smudged kohl patched her fair cheeks and she was crying her heart out at his feet. He moved away and unfeelingly added, "I never want to see you again." Khushi's bangles clinked revealing the unwanted audience. He turned around and met Khushi's disgust-filled gaze with cool indifference.

CHAPTER FOUR
Khushi let the scene sink in. Wintry gray zeroed on her. She stuck out her chin refusing to shiver under his brutal gaze. "Arnav please," the girl whimpered piteously. Khushi's eyes darted back at the figure on the ground, tears endlessly putting their signature on her tiny blue skirt. Arnav clenched his jaw, ignored her cries and walked out of the room, brushing past Khushi in the process. Khushi tried to steel her heart. God! He managed to look utterly delicious even in anger. Belatedly, she focused on the girl whose heart had just been trampled by this oh-sohandsome-yet-ruthless man. "Please stop crying. All men are jerks," she tentatively comforted. She had always been pathetic at consoling people. She just didn't know how to handle tears. Kajjal took a deep breath, wiped her eyes and stood up gathering herself. A flash of hostility swarmed into her eyes as she hissed,"Don't shove your pity up me!" Khushi took a step backwards. She knew that Kajjal was probably very hurt by Arnav and this rudeness was its product. Nobody derserved to be treated like this.

Arnav Singh Raizada was inhumane, Khushi decided. She made another feeble attempt to placate the recovering girl, only to be snubbed with a withering look. Kajjal wiped her face, ran her hand on her crumpled skirt and stomped out of the room. Khushi stood there looking at the retreating back and damning men in general and Arnav in specific to hell. ||*~*|| Arnav took in a deep breath and melted into the crowd surging towards the stalls. He felt a righteous anger swell inside him. Those accusing black eyes kept flashing across his mindscreen. He snapped his eyes shut to block them, but funnily those eyes zoomed in his mind. He knew that look she'd given him. She thought him to be a lousy, heartless swine. The adjectives had been clearly dripping from her expressions. What happened between him and Kajjal was none of her business. He'd flashed her his classic indifferent look and walked out of the room. He didn't owe her an explanation. He didn't owe anyone any explanation. "Arnav, you are alone," a voice jerked him out of his thoughts. Mrs. Sneha Chauhan was adjusting her flighty spectacles and searching for the assigned partner. "I thought I made it perfectly clear to you two that I wanted you to come to the meet together," she pointed out. Arnav screened the crowd searching for that speck of breathtaking red. His heart had funnily somersaulted when he had seen her standing next to Adi. Striking red against her creamy skin. She'd looked simple and stunning. He had forcefully reminded himself that this wisp of a girl had neatly tossed blame at his doorstep and gotten him into a murky thicket. He chose to ignore the uneasy pace at which his heart was beating when his eyes rested on her. "Am here, Mrs Chauhan," he heard her. He turned around and found her cuttingly ignoring him. She was looking at Mrs. Chauhan with admirable concentration. Arnav read the lines of hardness dipping the corners of her mouth. "Good. I want you both to participate in the contest. And civilly," she added feeling the undercurrent of irritation flowing between the two. Khushi nodded her head in acknowledgement limply while Arnav rocked backwards on his heels. With that said, she left the duo. "What contest was she talking about?" Khushi asked him, her voice distant. Arnav tugged at the collar of his sherwani and muttered, "Desi Boy and Desi Girl."

Khushi stopped in her tracks squinting at him in confusion, her anger against him forgotten momentarily. He rolled his eyes superiorly and explained, "Its a part of the first day of Ethnic Meet. Ramp walk with your partner, buy them a gift from one of the stalls and sing a song for them. A panel of ex-students decide the winners." "Ramp walk!" Khushi choked out in disbelief. Arnav almost smiled at her expression. "And with you," she spat. His face stiffened, and the amusement shining in his eyes clouded with a chilly coldness. "Make that the two of us," he drawled. ||*~*|| "Dude, you are actually planning to take part in that?" Adi guffawed mockingly, pointing towards the stage where three other couples were already standing. "Chauhan female left me no choice," Arnav exasperatedly grumbled. "Just cause you kill the ramp with your ape-man walk doesn't mean Arnie boy will do the same," Jenny joined the trio. She beamed a reassuring smile at a nervous Khushi. "Jenny, don't pile on my mood. Its tampered enough," Arnav warned. He could sense the upcoming fight between the tireless warriors. Adi who had been about to quip back fell silent at Arnav's request. "Stop being such a grump. No one is sending you out in quest of the Holy Grail. Just a contest," Jenny shot back at her brother. Khushi wrapped and unwrapped the corner of the saree around her little finger. Walking down the ramp with the most handsome specimen in NLS was going to be humbling. She'd look like a stuffed dodo next to him. Talk about ravaging her ego! "Khushi, you may want to wear these," Jenny held up a pair of golden stilettos. Khushi gulped the lump solidifying in her throat. She couldn't wear those at gunpoint. "I can't wear that," she said in a strangled voice. "Khushi, they look amazing. I think you should try them on," Adi interjected. His eyes were gleaming with agreement at Jenny's suggestion. Khushi's shaking fingers reached out to those 'hell-in-miniatures'. She felt herself agreeing to wear them, for Adi. Slowly, she stepped out of the sandals and put her feet into those stilettos. A sense of being suspended in the air clogged her mind. She was almost at level with that

luxurious gray. "If you are done with all this footwear swapping business, shall we proceed?" Khushi nodded and took careful steps towards the stage. Once atop dais Khushi felt her heart leaping out of her ribcage. She had always refrained from such contests at school. Homely, gauche and unpolished people like her didn't do things like this that enhanced their inferiority complex. She closed her eyes desperately trying to forget that the guy next to her was probably the most good-looking creature God had ever created. "Hold my hand," he murmured, breaking into her thoughts and suffusing it with his rich voice. She looked at his extended hand perplexed. She let her eyes sweep over the other couples who were walking down the ramp with supreme confidence, their hands twined together. She consciously lowered her hand into his, acutely aware of the molten fire his touch was pumping into her veins. Blurred flashes of a girl weeping and begging him infested her mind and she quickly stopped over analyzing her reaction to him. Prince in looks and beast at heart, that was what he was! "Stop staring at me," his voice cut through her like ice. She quickly looked past him. "Vain much? I was reading that poster behind you," she lied smoothly. He rolled his eyes heavily. "Our turn next," he said quietly after two minutes. Khushi took in a deep breath and they moved forward into the view of the crowd. A colossal cheer went up amongst the crowd and Khushi felt her palms sweating. "Just avoid looking at any faces," Arnav advised under his breath as they moved down the incline. Khushi felt his grip tightening around her fingers as they regally burned down the ramp. Her eyes skimmed the crowd hooting away and stopped at Adi's face. He was smilingly back with pride crusted in his eyes. She managed a small smile and then it happened. She felt "hell-break-loose" and the her foot twisted causing her to fall sideways. She snapped her eyes shut and prayed for the safety of her nose. She didn't want to have a foot-baller's broken nose for the rest of her life. A hand swiftly came around her waist, scorching her skin and breaking her fall. She reflexively grabbed onto the sturdy arm propping her. In a trance, she opening her eyes to be welcomed by a pair of expensively concerned

grays. Arnav was holding her close to him while people wolf-whistled explosively in the background. "Are you okay?" he asked. Khushi tried to gauge if she heard that twang of concern coming from a man who had walked out of the room leaving behind a girl, who had wept at his feet. "I'm perfectly fine," she bit back. Arnav sensed the acid in her tone and removed his hand from her waist letting her straighten herself. Khushi shot a smudged smile at the crowd and they walked back, their hands firmly stuck to their own sides. ||*~*|| "You two were fantastic out there." Khushi who had been tending her sprained ankle looked up to identify that familiar soft voice. Prof. Kourosh Arjun was smiling down at her. She stood up bravely refusing to let her eyes act as frescoes of her pain. "Thank you," she timidly responded. "Hasn't round two of the contest begun?" he queried looking at the other couples scurrying into stalls. Khushi's answer was left lingering in the air as Mrs. Chauhan dragged Kourosh away from the spot for a game of darts. The round two was judged on the gifts bought for the partners from the stalls set up. Arnav had grudgingly marched off to get her something while she stubbornly sat down to look at her ankle. She wouldn't get that beast anything. They had a time limit of two minutes. Khushi looked around trying to locate Arnav but he was nowhere in sight. The two minutes were coming to an end and the couples were already reappearing in front of the panel of judges. Arnav seemed to be as dedicated as her, in losing this damned contest. Five seconds of the countdown were left when he reached her side, panting. Khushi tried to search of the "gift" he had supposedly gone to get her but his hands seemed be empty. She shrugged it off and focused on the judges. Arnav tried to catch his breath. He didn't know what Khushi Kumari Gupta liked apart from cartooning and walking into rooms with closed doors. He had carefully selected something that would definitely suit her. He had convinced himself that he was buying this for her out of compulsion. And yet there were slight ripples of anticipation banked in his heart to see her reaction when she saw his gift. The other couples had opted for stoles, jutis and a plate of panipuri!

"Show us what you've got ," one man gave a broad grin. Khushi slid her eyes towards Arnav who was removing something from a hidden pocket in his sherwani. Bangles! Khushi's eyes lit up with rapturous delight. The bangles he was holding out were a pretty red with gold foam at intervals. It matched with her saree perfectly. She curbed her impulsive excitement to pull the bangles out of his hold and put them on. The ones she was wearing were not as pretty as the ones he had bought for her. "For her" she registered, with a warm fuzzy feeling storming through her heart. "Arnav Singh Raizada sure knows how to make a girl feel beautiful," a booming voice captured the moment. The words fell like bullet shells on Khushi's ears. The guy standing before her was a mirage. What she'd seen was the horrible reality. "Why don't you put the bangles on her wrists?" another judge suggested. Arnav took her delicate wrist under his fingers and started to put the bangles on. Khushi stood frozen for a second, debating how to react and then suddenly she pulled free from his grip. "You can drop the act," she hissed. Her eyes were misting with bitterness. Silence descended on the crowd who watched the scene unfurl with interest. Arnav stood there masking his fury with indifference. Boy! This girl was attentionstarved. She loved creating scenes. "Behind the doors you treat women worse than shoe polish and on stage you act all 'oh-am-so-sensitive-n-gentlemanly'. Arnav Singh Raizada quit pretending like you skipped down from heaven" The entire crowd crackled with tension at Arnav's thunderstruck face. Khushi waited in bated breath for his verbal tirade to start. However, the only sound that was heard was the breaking of the glass bangles. Arnav let the broken pieces of the red glass scatter to the ground. Drops of blood danced their way following the descent of the broken pieces. "I don't treat women like shoe polish," he stressed on every word with a pause. His whole face was contorted with fury and his eyes were flecks of gray ice. "Right. You treat them like vermin. Left to you, you'd probably use Baygon on all of us," she countered with deadened anger.

Arnav felt himself quake in wrath. How could someone be so amateurishly judgmental? Without knowing the entirety of the situation between Kajjal and him this girl had chosen to appeal to the future women's rights activists present in the crowd. How typical! "Arnav," Adi was by his side within seconds. He took one look at Arnav's bleeding hand, shot Khushi a look of deep accusation and led him away from the stage. Khushi looked on as the crowd parted to let the two of them pass. She stood still, trying to fathom the look Adi had given her.

CHAPTER FIVE
Khushi heard the soft footsteps slicing her solitude. She had escaped the grounds after Adi had packed Arnav into the car and driven him off, without a backward glance at her. She'd been confused. Surely he must have known that his friend was an unfeeling thicko. The crowd had given polarized reactions. Some girls had actually come and congratulated her saying that Arnav had deserved it cause he hadn't complimented them on their latest hairdos. Khushi had gawked openly at their stupidity. He had broken a girl's heart and treated her like filth and all they could think of was that he had missed complimenting them! Others had merely given her dirty looks which lucidly reminded her of Adi's parting look. "I thought he was a jerk too." Khushi looked up to see Jenny slipping into the seat beside her. She had sought shelter in the stadium gallery where the football match had been held. This was the very place she'd seen Arnav shirtless! Inspite of the density of the situation she couldn't stop the rush of pink hue coloring her cheeks at the image. Khushi heard Jenny's words and her heart leapt. She wasn't reacting like Adi. "You know the first time I met him, I thought he was a persnickety bully," Jenny confided. "Met him?" Khushi echoed. "I was 9 years old and we had gone to the ice-cream parlor with my Dad," Jenny's voice was strenuously even. "He decided he didn't like Blackcurrant scoops after all and attacked my choco-mint

heap. I hated him! I'd scratched him, boxed his ears while he generously smashed the cold ice-cream on my frock. I hated him more. That night he got me an ice-cream carton with his saved pocket money. I decided he wasn't so bad after all." Khushi heard her narrate the incident with an unsure smile. "Three summers later after that Dad passed away and I was sent to stay with the Raizadas, who were the only living relations on my mother's side. My mother had been very close to her brother, I'd been told. She had never seen how grandly my 4th birthday had been celebrated. Kushal uncle had. The day I stumbled into the Raizada house, Arnav had squeezed me tightly and promised that he'd be the pesky older brother every girl wanted. He'd made me smile through my tears," she reminisced. Khushi swallowed the painful parchedness attacking her throat. Jenny was actually Arnav's cousin sister who had been warmly encompassed by the Raizada family's love. "I know its hard to accept that a person who is so nice to you can be so cruel to another. He walked away leaving her sobbing on the floor. He told her to take her filthy hands off him," Khushi explained in a choked voice. "Arnav had considered proposing Kajjal," Jenny informed her calmly. Khushi was new here. She had no idea about the history. Arnav, Adi, Kajjal, Ripple and Jenny had studied at the same school. Arnav and Adi had been three years elder to the rest. They had completed their B.A in Economics before joining Law School. Both them them had empires to handle. Afreen and Jay had been additions to their gang during their 11th standard. After completing their 12th they'd joined Arnav and Adi in mainstream Law. They would regularly hangout at various joints and Arnav had started taking notice of prim little Kajjal Khanna. She used 'ignore-n-ignite' formula and Arnav had fallen for it hook,line and sinker. Eight months of sincere dating and Arnav had been contemplating on proposing her during the summer break before they all joined NLS. Things had suddenly crippled and Arnav had taken a total U-turn, avoiding Kajjal at every step. Jenny knew better than trying to get him to spill the story. But what she was sure about was that Arnav, her beast-with-a-golden-heart brother would never react like that to something trivial. "Proposing her?" Khushi's voice interrupted her thoughts. "They were going around together for quite some time before Arnie boy decided that he preferred to kick the football around rather than admire the different angles of Kajjal's pout," Jenny quipped. "They were out together and things did get sour between them. That doesn't give him a

right to hurt her like that." Jenny sighed. Khushi was in no mood to relent. She had made up her mind against Arnav. "Khushi, go home have lunch and take a nap. You'll feel better. Forget all this. We still have two days of the meet and however tangled the situation you've got to attend it." Khushi stood up, deciding to do just that. She'd go back to Mehra Mansion, have lunch, take a nap and talk to Adi! ||*~*|| Khushi snuggled deeper into her blanket. She heard the door creak open and felt someone lovingly push her hair off her face. Soft, delicate fingers. Her eyes fluttered open to see Sia Mehra smiling down at her. "It past 7, Khushi. Are you feeling unwell?" Khushi sat up with a shock. It was past 7! She'd slept straight for 6 hours. She rubbed her eyes and squinted at the confession of the wall clock. "Adi?" she asked incoherently. Sia smiled gently and replied, "He said he won't be home tonight. He plans to stay over at Arnav's." Khushi felt herself sinking into a quicksand of disappointment. She'd been waiting for Adi to get home so that she could tell him about the scene she'd witnessed. She had tried calling him several times but he had switched off his phone. She shot out of her bed and slipped on her flip flops. For some reason she couldn't bear the thought of Adi ignoring her or behaving aloof. She needed his support. No, she wanted it. "Where do the Raizadas stay?" she asked in a small voice. Sia Mehra, who had been studying the interplay of emotions on her face, named an area. Khushi's face fell. She didn't have the slightest idea where that was. "Do you want to go there?" Sia cautiously prodded. Khushi merely nodded her head. It was a dumb idea to walk under Arnav's roof and try to get Adi to see the truth but she felt desperate enough. "I'll ask Ranjan to drop you off at their place. You freshen up quickly," Sia provided her with a solution. Khushi hugged Sia tightly and whispered a thank you before dashing off to the washroom.

||*~*||

The Raizada house was slightly bigger and a tad bit more sophisticated than the Mehra Mansion. It was an amalgam of classic grandeur and tasteful furnishings. She ascended the stairs rehearsing her speech to Adi. The man who attended the doorbell had informed her that Adi and Arnav were in the second room, on the first floor. Carefully, she walked down the hallway to the instructed room. Fighting down her apprehensions of seeing Arnav again, she gently rapped on the door. "Jenny stop playing Florence Nightingale. I'm perfectly fine." Khushi pushed the door and open and stepped into the room. Arnav was standing near the french doors, overlooking the exotic garden below. Khushi noticed the white bandage wrapped around his palm. Guilt stung at her for a split second before she gave a verdict in her mind that he had deserved it. His room was beautiful. It was bathed in a scheme with varying shades of blue. The racks were stacked with music CDs and Khushi knew in am instant that this beast standing with his back towards her happened to be a music maniac. "Where is Adi?" she stiffly asked. He turned around, his face first claiming shock and then lethal fury. "Who let you in here?" he barked. Khushi felt the intensity of his anger bridging between them. She almost see him shaking with its effect. With long strides he closed the distance between them, grabbed her by arm and breathed down poisonously, "Get out of here before I drown you in a tank of Baygon!" Khushi flinched slightly beneath his harsh grip. "I've come here to talk to Adi. Not you," she threw at him. He let go of her causing her to stagger backwards. She could see the unquenched impulse to get back at her flashing through those gray windowscreens. He wasn't ever going to forgive her. Nor she him, she decided pointedly. She wasn't here to apologize. She was here to talk sense into Adi and get him onto the right side. "Khushi what are you doing here?" Adi appeared at the doorway. His face held a tinge of irritation as he surveyed her glaring back at Arnav. "I came here to speak to you," she said flatly. "Khushi go back home. I'll speak to you tomorrow," Adi retorted. His eyes were fixed on first aid box lying open on Arnav's bed.

"I'm not leaving from here without having my say," Khushi stubbornly said. Adi looked a tad bit hassled. He nodded jerkily anyway and stepped out of the room. Khushi shot another look of deep loathing towards Arnav before exiting his sanctuary. ||*~*|| "Kajjal was at his feet. Weeping. And he told her to keep her filthy hands off him and walked away," Khushi plunged into a narrative as soon as she stepped out. Adi eyed her with an unreadable expression. "Adi, I know he is your friend but I also know that you are a good human being. What he did was cruel and I'm sure you agree with me," she despairingly appealed to him. "Khushi," he calmly began, "Arnav and me have been buddies for a very long time now. If Arnav did what you say he did, it must have been with an iron reason. He isn't the types who will trample over people's heart for sadistic pleasure." "But Jenny told me that things weren't well between Arnav and Kajjal. He must have done it to get back at her," she pressed on. "What else has Jenny been telling you?" Adi curiously asked. He kept fidgeting with the car keys in his pocket. "Nothing more." Khushi could see that for some invisible reason Adi was taking everything serenely. His eyes were ablaze with trust in Arnav. And for a more queer reason Khushi didn't like it. "What you did was wrong," he said, looking at his shoes as though he was afraid of hurting her unintentionally. "If you wanted to sort out this issue you should have given him a chance to explain. Choosing a public platform to barb his image was a very bad move." Khushi realized that she'd upset Adi by hurling accusations at Arnav amidst the crowd of onlookers. Thinking back, she agreed that she shouldn't have attacked him there. Her eyes lowered in acceptance. "I'm not judging you, Khushi. You are a sweet girl and I like you too much to let this get between us. I just think you should give him a chance to explain and that you owe him an apology." Khushi looked up afraid to see what lurked in his eyes. She questioned herself why this particular guy's opinion meant so much to her. She fumbled for an answer and didn't receive one.

"I'll apologize," she said. Adi smiled gratefully and held the door open for her to proceed inside. ||*~*|| Battling herself, she set foot into the room again and heard the soft click of the door shutting behind her. Adi was outside the door, waiting for her to sort out things with his best buddy. "Do I have to repeat myself in some other language? I want you to get out of my room," Arnav growled. He was leaning against the well equipped mini-bar in his room. Khushi took a deep breath and waded into the dangerous waters. His eyes narrowed menacingly as he saw her cross the room to where he was standing. She opened her mouth to fling a quick sorry on his face but she saw the deep patch of red intensifying on the white bandage. "Your hand is bleeding," she indicated. Arnav looked at his hand, his mind replaying the scene that had caused the injury. Anger bubbled through him and he struggled to contain it. "Get the hell out of here," he rumbled off in a low voice. Khushi felt the words chill her bones. Her presence in his room was snapping his endurance. "I just came here to say that perhaps I shouldn't have reacted that way," she began. "Save your breath!" he caustically cut her off. It was evident from her face she didn't feel one bit sorry. "What ever be the status of things between you and Kajjal, you shouldn't have walked away leaving her in that condition. It was heartless," she alleged. "Heartless or heart-more it was none of you business. And if you have come here to demand some sort of explanation from me I want to remind you that the door is at the back, to your right," he directed her. "I didn't come here to beg you to redeem yourself in my eyes. I came here to tell you that I'm sorry for saying all those nasty things. I shouldn't have washed your dirty linen out there." He considered her words with dawning surprise. She was saying sorry in the most sniffy manner she could adopt. Almost like she was doing him a capital favor. "You are apologizing?" he mouthed his amazement.

She shrugged her shoulders haughtily, "Adi thought I should." Arnav sat there scrutinizing the girl who had forced herself to apologize to him when it was plain evident that she felt no apparent guilt for what she'd done. Inspite of it she'd agreed to trash her ego and say sorry. For one person, Adi. "You are in love with him, aren't you?" he voiced his thoughts in a daze. Had he imagined his voice shaking while saying the word love or was it cause he felt sort of dizzy suddenly. Khushi stared back at him, her eyes widening at his words. "In love with whom?" she disconcertedly demanded. "With Adi" Arnav countered.

CHAPTER SIX
"Someone mentioned my name?" Adi asked, standing at the doorway. Khushi stood there momentarily disarmed by the question hurled at her. "No. Khushi was just serving me her apologies on a platter," Arnav slyly replied. Khushi let the question buzz through her head and find its hive. "Love Adi? Did she?" "Khushi you are a sweetheart," Adi beamed at her. Khushi felt the intensity of his beam but it was overridden by the knowing and almost amused look flecked in Arnav's gray eyes. Adi didn't notice the high tension rippling off Khushi and bouncing towards Arnav. He was content that she had apologized and that Arnav seemed in a better mood now. "I say, we call it a night. Maa will be waiting for us Khushi," Adi continued, controlling the wide yawn sagging his mouth. Khushi jerked her head. She needed solitude. Now. "Night dude," the guys embraced each other warmly. Khushi could see the easy, unshakable friendship stamped there. She surveyed Arnav's face. The guy's handsomeness wasn't easy to blot out. The magnetic aura enhanced it to a delicious fever pitch. Khushi felt her stomach knot painfully. She had seen him walk over a girl's heart uncaringly. Every cell in her body shrieked alarm against him. Adi left the room, grabbing his car keys off the rack and giving Khushi a look to join him soon.

Khushi stood there, analyzing the uneasiness pulsating in the air. "Good Night," she muttered finally. She couldn't bear to look into that unending gray again. It was perilous. She turned around and nearly ran towards the door. Some mistakes are inevitable. You can't help making them. She couldn't. She turned around one last time. Arnav was staring right back at her, clear gray oozing out. She tried to remain unaware of the parchedness licking her throat. He winked. Her heart skipped a beat. He smiled. Her heart stopped dead. He was convinced that she was in love with Adi and he seemed pretty ecstatic over it. She had to stop herself from flying out of the house... ||*~*|| Khushi shut down the laptop for the fourth time in an hour. She pushed it aside and fell back on the pillows. The uneasiness had amplified a million folds in solitude. She wished she was anywhere but here, alone in her room. Adi had slept off almost immediately after reaching the Mehra Mansion. Akram and Sia Mehra were in their room discussing something important and Khushi was fighting the nagging bout of restlessness. She had been trying to some background regarding a trending case of homicide. Every time she stared at the screen, a pair of amused gray eyes came back to haunt her. It was impossible to stop that voice from echoing in her heart. "With Adi. Whom else?" She had meticulously analyzed her feelings and drawn a conclusion. Adi was the first friend she made in this new city. He owned a very special place in her heart. She found him handsome, agreed. She enjoyed his company, agreed. His opinions mattered to her, agreed. She treasured her friendship with him almost selfishly, agreed. She wanted to be more than friends with him, disagreed. She wanted to be the prime focus of his attentions, disagreed. She was nearly in love with him, disagreed. She didn't want to twine her fingers with him and walk across rainbows. She wanted his arm to be loosely hung round her shoulders as they walked casually to catch a

horror flick. She wanted them to be really good friends. She was almost envious of the bond he shared with Arnav. She would love to have the female version of the bond. Even if Arnav had jumped to the conclusion that she was falling head over heels for Adi, she didn't quite understand why he was so jubilant about it... Wasn't Afreen already chained with Adi? A gut-twisting smile zoomed into her mindscreen and she jumped off the bed, pulled out her sketching paraphernalia and got down to shooing away her stress. At the end of forty five minutes, she regretted picking up her sketch pad. Staring back at her from the fold of crispy whiteness of the paper were a set of unforgettable warm gray eyes. It took an effort to tear her eyes away from that smouldering depth she had impeccably caught on paper. She placed the sketchpad on the bedside stand, swearing and adding the weight of the laptop on it. She dimmed the lights, willing herself to sleep almost instantly. The flashlight of her mobile indicated that she had received a message. "Wear coral pink tomorrow. His favorite color on girls. ~ Arnav" She blinked back at the message. A fresh surge of insomnia threatening to drown her. How did he have her number? The mobile flashed a second time. "Got your number from him. Sleep tight. 2mrw'll be extra bright ;-) " Adios sleep! ||*~*|| Arnav did a double take when he saw her. "Mesmerising" was the word his mind was fishing for. Ocean blue never looked deeper in his life. The color almost came alive against her flawless skin. Arnav felt his muscles yelling in aroused rigidity. Her hair had been done in a loose braid with fringes falling over her face. She was THE fresco of divine loveliness. He carefully shook off the admiration from the features of his face. It registered then, she hadn't worn coral pink. He felt her eyes collide with his as she moved towards him,

Adi by her side. "Here you go," Adi took Khushi's hand and gently stuffed it into Arnav's palm, "Your property. I hope you two have cooled down now. No public showdowns please." Arnav nodded somberly, trying to get his raging nerve endings on check. He was reacting way too abnormally where this wisp of a girl was concerned. Icing on the cake, she loved Adi! "I don't love Adi," she began almost as soon as Adi's back was turned. Arnav looked at her as if she was the ultimate entertainment source. "Okay. If you say so," he shrugged his shoulders. Khushi saw the lazy smile on his lips. She wanted to throttle him but she'd be sorry to kill someone as handsome as him. White! He was dressed in fresh white kurta pyjama. It was loose and added a careless air of royalty to him. She sincerely hoped that her galloping heartbeat had nothing to do with the fact that her hand was still in his. "Shall we?" he asked with a touch of gallantry. They proceeded to the stage where the couples were standing. Day two of Ethnic meet had some more competitions. From Adi had been saying on the way to the college, Arnav and her pairing was hot favorite, judges and students alike. The third day had voting and the winners were declared. The collections from the stalls were taken and donated to the slums. And cartons of toys were bought from some of the money and the winners of the meet took it to the orphanage. When she'd asked Adi what was the deal about being the winner he'd simply said, "Law Schools need people to represent them at public platforms. Being winners usually means great stage presence so they'd be selected to attend all important meets and conferences representing NLS, Mumbai." Khushi shoved the thoughts out of her mind and focused on what the panel was saying. She noted that a girl with ridiculous swaying hips was stumbling over the dias thrusting something into the guys' hands. She made her way towards them, stuffed something into Arnav's hand, gave him a downright suggestive smile and swayed off stage. Khushi stood there deciding whether she wanted to puke or howl...

"I really have no idea," Arnav's tensed voice floated through her ears. She looked at him mildly surprised. It was only then she noticed the white cloth in his hand. "What are we supposed to be doing?" she mouthed the question. "Tying dhoti," he gulped. He looked really pale, like on the brink of fainting. Khushi giggled a little as she pulled the soft fabric from his hands. "Stand still," she mock ordered. He obeyed. He felt his entire body go rigid as she deftly wrapped him in the white fabric. She quickly tied a knot, joining the two of the corners. Arnav watched her in a daze she pulled and pushed the fabric through his legs, pleating and tucking. It took every ounce of Arnav's endurance to stand through it, when every feather teach she was was carelessly stamping on him was roaring through his veins. He strongly reminded himself that she was going to be Adi's girl soon. He could not afford to feel this way. "Are you done?" he asked gruffly. She rested her hands on her hips and let her eyes slide down him. Arnav bit back an improper groan. Easily they had won the round as the others stood in a tangled mess of white fabric. The smile on Khushi's face was illumining. But she couldn't block out the looks Arnav was receiving. The girls had been swept off, their decorum decaying in the wilderness as they whistled and hooted and lost control. Khushi was sure Arnav was enjoying all the attention. One look at him however told her a different tale. He looked almost wounded. His whole body was strung with tension. She rested a hand on his arm, trying to soothe away the tell-tale strain. Arnav sucked in a breath. Did she have to touch him when he had been concentrating, trying hard to un-feel what he was feeling... "I'm fine," he shrugged her hand off. Khushi swore under her breath and took two steps away. "The next round is enacting a romantic scene from your favorite Bollywood movie," a sonic voice boomed causing the crowd to gurgle with applause. "What bullcrap!" Arnav growled.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Khushi rubbed her hands together eagerly. "Wow! I'm a total Bollywood movie buff," she squealed excitedly. Arnav's eyebrows strained themselves, pushing up on his forehead. "I refuse to participate in this round," he tonelessly informed her. Khushi's soaring smile descended like a fighter jet crashing due to an unexpected glitch in the smoothly functioning machinery. She hugged the frown that now bubbled on her lips. "But why?" "I don't do romance," he said through gritted teeth, "Not forced romance at least!" "Big deal! It is just a competition. All you'll have to do is spout some few lines, make your eyes all gooey and bear the sight of me blushing. Its not that hard," she pointed out defensively. "Look, you wanna participate, am not stopping you. Go there, hold a shirt and keep dancing like a demented widow. Romantic and crisp," he suggested. Khushi glared at him. Arnav Singh Raizada was annoyingly stubborn. She was interested in winning this title. It would be an honor to represent the college at various conferences and platforms. Why couldn't he leave his obstinance aside and do this? "I'll confess my love for Adi if you participate in this round," she said quietly. She had been struck by an unexpected source of inspiration. If she hadn't calculated wrong, Arnav was almost itching to throw her into Adi's arms for reasons unknown. He had seemed positively jubilant last night when he had come up with that absurd idea that she was in love with Adi. He had smiled and winked at her conspiratorially as if he knew her secret and was happy with it. Arnav stared at her for moment. She was agreeing to declare her love for Adi if he went on that stage and rattled off a few words. Arnav treasured Adi's friendship with every fibre in his body. Afreen was a total ***** and didn't deserve Adi. He had seen Adi hurt, in tears and pained by Afreen's selfishness. He had sensed Adi's desperation to call off the relationship. But Adi being Adi, the kind-hearted soul that he was, couldn't trample Afreen's heart (even if it were a fictitious one) Arnav saw a solution to liberate his best buddy from the suffocating relationship.

Quirky little Khushi Gupta Impossibly beautiful Khushi... He hastily shook himself out of his inappropriate thoughts and noticed that Khushi was still waiting for an answer. "Deal," he smiled. For a second, Khushi felt a sting of disappointment but it was quickly overtaken by the elation of judging him right to the inches. She didn't want to analyze why she had felt fleetingly unhappy. Arnav Singh Raizada was too caught up in forcing her into singing love poems to Adi. She forced a smile and concentrated on the task before them. *********************************************************************** ************************************************************** "Are you ready?" her eyes gleamed. He nodded sourly. He didn't want to do this scene. Khushi could sense his acute reluctance to do the scene. She had purposely chosen this one to get even with him. A fake declaration of love called for some reasonably uneasy score to set. She prayed to God that he was at the edge of his tolerance. Their names were announced and Khushi felt his steps falter for a second. He gathered himself quickly and strode out into view. A stillness engulfed the crowd, their eyes tuned to the staged. Arnav fished out the bangle she had given him and jingled it. The clank of the metal reverbrated through the audience who oddly seemed to be holding their breath. Khushi turned around looking at him, surprise evident in her eyes. Boy! She acted well, Arnav thought. "Rahul, tum bhi," she shook her head like a school teacher catching her student redhanded at a prank. "Lao, mujhe de do," she stretched her hand. Arnav tried to focus on his expressions. His face felt stiff and he tried to bring that playful smile to his face. He succeeded. "Hmm...Yahaan pass aake le lo," he heard himself say. Khushi shivered at the deep rich voice slicing through the silence. Arnav Singh Raizada had a disturbingly attractive voice, she noted.

"Yeh kya bachpana hain?" she walked to where he was standing, "Lao mujhe do" Arnav felt burst of crackling tension at their nearness. "Aur pass," he faithfully delivered the dialogue. She took another step closer. "Yeh Lo, Khush?" she asked. She tried to stop the breathlessness she was feeling, from peeping into her voice. Damn! She had chosen a dangerous scene... "Aur pass," he murmured teasingly. Khushi was surprised at the level-headed dialogue delivery. He was good at it, a natural on the stage. "Rahul," she protested. "Aur paas," he imitated the sing-song voice. "Stop it," she tried to grab the bangle out of his grip but he was quicker and pulled it away. "Aur paas," he said. Irritated, she turned away and crossed her hand over her chest in mock anger. He slowly held the bangle out in front of her like a bait for the fish. She threw him a "Iwon" look and grabbed the bangle and made to walk away. He caught hold of her wrist, halting her walk. She turned around to look at him, confused. "Aur paas," his voice was impossibly deep and sultry. Khushi took a step closer to him, in a trance-like state. "Aur paas," his magnetic voice chanted till she was a whisper away from him. The breathlessness was visible now, Khushi felt her head melt into one puddle of feelings. She wanted to be closer, to completely wipe out the distance between them. To taste if he was as delicious as his voice sounded, to see if that ceaseless gray would turn a shade darker when he kissed her. She wanted to feel his arms come crushing around her, holding her and letting raw sensation triumph. Arnav wanted to push her away. Damn! He could feel every nerve ending shrieking in agony at her proximity. He wasn't supposed to be reacting to her like this. "Adi's girl," he tried to tell himself. Her sweet smell was driving him crazy, those lusciously black eyes...He needed HELP! His eyes slid to the audience where Adi stood. Adi was staring at Jenny, with an enormous frown tugging at his lips. Jenny seemed oblivious to him and the guy next to Jenny was busily crushing her against his side. Arnav felt sanity return. "Khushi, you are supposed to be walking away," he murmured.

The words bombarded through the smokescreen and Khushi jerked back to her senses. What the hell was she doing? She turned abruptly and walked away. Arnav had never felt the effect of gravity stronger in his life. His legs refused to move forward. He struggled with each step to close the distance spanning between them. He reached behind her, his breath coming rapidly now. His palms had gone awfully cold. He took a deep breath and let his fingertips run upwards on her forearms. Shakily, he pushed away the hair falling on the curve of her neck, exposing the flawless skin to his eyes. Khushi felt herself go up in flames at his touch. His breath was gently warming the exposed area of her neck. Her heart was thudding with embarrassing intensity. She just hoped that he couldn't hear it. Damn! Damn! Damn! This was pure torture. Arnav let his head drop to the curve of her neck, passing it off as a kiss from the original movie. Khushi felt him snuggled in that tender curve, she felt herself ache to feel his lips soothing that delicate spot. She crushed the dupatta, trying to smother her yearnings. "Now," her brain dully ordered her. She spun around, throwing her arms around him, sinking into the hug. Arnav felt his body tighten painfully as she melted across him. His arms went round her, returning the hug. His steady heartbeat rose to fever pitch, trying to keep pace with her flying one. Khushi felt herself go limp in his arms. His strength was heady. She carefully kept her lips away from the enticing expanse of his sturdy chest. A explosion of claps made them jump apart. Khushi sternly controlled the blush that was creeping up on her cheeks. She looked at Arnav through the corner of her eyes. He managed to look perfectly unaffected by anything. Arnav stood there berating himself for not cutting the hug shorter. He was ashamed of feeling this dizzy with attraction. He wouldn't ever go within two feet of her. He never wanted to feel as helpless as he had felt with her in his arms, knowing that she wasn't his for the taking. Everyone was hooting, shouting, screaming, wolf-whistling and drowning in the frenzy. Arnav dared a look at Khushi who shot back a tentative smile his way. The judges were up on their feet, clapping with resounding effects. Clearly, they were the undisputed winners of the round. ***********************************************************************

***************************************************************** "OMG! You both were out of the world out there," Jenny exclaimed. Adi threw her a mildly stunned look. "I thought you were busy with something else while they were on stage," he pointed out. Khushi could here the drum-roll signifying approaching war. She cleared her throat loudly. "What exactly was that supposed to mean?" Jenny furiously rounded on Adi ignoring Khushi's attempt to diffuse the situation. Arnav too remembered the guy whose arm had been around Jenny. "Who was the fellow next to you?" he demanded. "Stop getting all big-brotherly the two of you," she hissed, "Raghav is a friend and its perfectly okay for him to put his arm around me." "Raghav! Geeky, teacher-obsessed Raghav? Where are his spectacles? No wonder he looked different," Adi sputtered aloud. Jenny threw him another scathing look, "I asked him to wear lenses." "So are you telling me that you are interested in Raghav?" Arnav interrupted them. "No. I'm telling the two of you to mind your own goddamned business," she flatly retorted and stomped off. Adi and Arnav stood there staring at her retreating back. One was swearing under his breath and the other was planning to do an elaborate research on Jenny's sudden interest in Raghav. Still staring at the route she had taken, Adi spoke up, "Coming back to the point...You two were phenomenal!" He gave a huge bear hug to Arnav. Arnav looked at Khushi, silently signalling that the time was ripe for the declaration. Khushi bit her bottom lip and shook her head in the negative. She couldn't do it...Not right now, when she was busily trying to compose herself. "Adi, Khushi wanted to tell you something," Arnav insisted. Khushi looked stricken. She struggled to come up with a plausible reply. Adi's eyes were glued to her inquiringly, waiting. Khushi cleared her throat for a second time, "Adi, I'll be having dinner with Arnav tonight. Can you please inform Sia aunty?"

Adi looked at her mildly surprised and Arnav looked at her...steamrollered! She mentally kicked herself for letting the words slip past her lips. A totally WT*ish excuse to cover up her inability to keep her side of the deal. Arnav was shooting her looks along the lines of- "Ward No. 142, Gupta Lunatic asylum, Are you?" "Yeah sure," Adi shrugged. He looked at Arnav quizzically to which Arnav shrugged back blankly. He would love to wring Khushi's pretty neck, snap it and have her brain fried for dinner. Khushi looked traumatized by what she had just suggested. Arnav eyed her angrily. She was backing out of the deal and he didn't seem pleased about it. "Okay then, see you at dinner," Khushi apologetically said. Arnav bitingly replied, "I guess so." Adi patted Arnav's back and proceeded to the car with Khushi. *********************************************************************** ***************************************************************** Khushi closed her eyes, her finger quivering over the call button. Should she call him? She looked at her reflection in the mirror. She was dressed in sleeveless black silk tunic and skinny jeans. Her hair fell over her shoulders and she had taken care to dab a generous amount of perfume. She looked different somehow. She was sure Sachin Verma wouldn't have complained about the cartoon if she had looked like this at school. Her finger fell on the screen and the light started blinking indicating that the call was being connected. She raised the treacherous phone to her ears and heard the deep voice flow out. "Hello," he said. "Hello," she stammered, "Khushi here." "Mobiles have caller IDs," he pointed out. She smacked her head at her own stupidity and continued, "Is the dinner still on?" "No," he replied indifferently. "Oh!" her voice fell, "Fine." "You didn't keep your side of the deal," he began. Khushi heard the accusation crystal clear in his voice. He was mightly pissed off that she hadn't gone down on her knees or thrown herself at Adi. "Incase you can't figure out ...I am a girl," she testily replied.

Arnav tied his lace with the other hand, balancing his phone to his ear. He knew she was a girl alright. She was an attractive girl at that. He rolled his eyes and said, "So? Should I toast to that?" "No! How about you understand that it is inappropriate for me to throw myself on him like that...A guy approaches the girl, not the other way round," she breathed heavily. Khushi was merely buying time for herself. She didn't believe in the 'guy making the first move' policy. If she was in love with someone, she'd go right ahead and tell him. But here the situation was tricky. She wasn't in love with Adi firstly. And secondly, if she did go and sing a love song to him things at home would get very uncomfortable. "So what do you have in mind? Seducing him?" Arnav snorted. "I say we wait...I will try to give him some signs. If he is smart enough he'll catch them. If not, I can survive the heartache," she tried not to burst out laughing. Arnav seemed to like the "giving signs" idea cause he fell silent. Khushi could hear his mind churning with record speed. "Fine then. I'll be there to pick you up within fifteen minutes, we'll discuss the plans over dinner," he said. Khushi nearly groaned aloud. She'd rather have him cancel the dinner. *********************************************************************** ***************************************************************** Arnav sipped at the water in glass for the umpteenth time. His throat was constantly getting dry and he had an uneasy feeling that it was cause of the girl sitting opposite him. On his way to the Mehra Mansion he had pledged to talk only about Adi to her throughout the dinner, but here he was sitting, holding the glass of water for his dear life. She looked so stunning that he had a hard time concentrating on forming a correct sentence in his head. Khushi looked at him suspiciously. He looked on the verge of passing out. The chequered blue and white shirt he had worn teamed with blue denims looked dapper. She had been expecting double shirts or loose tees but semi-formal wear was like an effective bowl of punch. Arnav Singh Raizada looked ultra-handsome tonight. She willed her heart to stop beating so erratically but it seemed to have a mind of its own. She fiddled with her phone again. He had been sipping that glass of water ever since they had walked into the restaurant. And she didn't want to start any conversation for the fear of losing herself in all that "Adi-n-you" talk.

"You enjoy cartooning right?" he asked her out of the blue. She stared back, caught off guard, "Yes" "Are you any good at it?" he prodded. Khushi fired up immediately. He was questioning her talent inspite of being aware of just how talented she was. It wasn't everyday you went to the SWO's office for cartooning you Professor. "I think I am," she added with a touch of annoyance. "Cartoon that waiter," he jerked his head in the direction of one burly, sullen looking waiter. He pushed a tissue under her nose and stuffed a pen into her hand, "I'm timing you," he added, opening the stop watch on his phone. Khushi's pen began flying over the soft tissue paper. Her one-pointed attention was burning a hole in the table almost. Arnav stared at her in amusement. She was like a sleeping lioness, barring her teeth to whosoever dared to tickle her out of her slumber. He fondly noticed the playful way her fringes kept sliding down, blocking her face. She kept pushing it back, losing time in the process. Within two minutes she pushed the paper back to him. Sitting on the white valley of the paper was the most comical depiction of the waiter. Arnav felt a smile weighing down his lips. Khushi saw the hesitant admiration spring into his eyes. And a wisp of a smile was gathering on his lips. Her heart did a mighty flip. "Shall we order?" she asked, breaking his study of the cartoon. "Yeah you go ahead and check out the menu. I'll call Adi and ask him to come over," Arnav stood up, pushing the chair backwards. Khushi's eyebrows knitted together in puzzlement. "I'll just say that Jenny got stranded somewhere and I had to go pick her up. I'll tell him to come over and give you company," he winked. Khushi's entire body went rigid. God! Was there anything cuter in this world than this otherwise dour fellow's wink? Arnav Singh Raizada was one bundle of uncertainty. She couldn't predict anything about him...

Adi was there as expected, in ten minutes. Arnav had left as soon as he heard the roar of the engine in the parking lot. Not many people drove in like maniacs at the this time of the night. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting for long," he smiled and took Arnav's place. Khushi relaxed in her chair. There was a certain level of ease Adi brought along with him. She wasn't afraid of her heart pounding in her ears, her body coiling with tension when Adi was around. And she could smile more freely. His eyes went to the tissue paper lying in front of him. "Oh! I see...Arnav was in one of his lighter moods today," he observed. Khushi was surprised by this deduction but then, they both were the thickest of friends and probably could read each other inside out. "He is usually a very aloof guy," he added, "Doesn't talk much to people easily. It was a miracle you got him to do that romantic scene on stage with you. He detests such public attention especially that sort." Khushi thought back at the terms to which he had agreed. He was strongly opposed to the idea of going all coochie coo on stage. Khushi quickly decided to maintain a record of the number of times he had smiled at her. Twice, till now. Adi's eyes darted to something behind her and Khushi saw his eyes narrowing to slits. "Khushi, where exactly is Arnav?" he asked. "Gone to pick up Jenny," Khushi firmly repeated what Arnav had told her. "Then this has got to be Jenny's duplicate eating off that man's face," he mouthed acidly. Khushi turned around in her chair to where Adi was looking. Leaning on the glass door outside the restaurant, on the right corner, almost sinking in the darkness were Jenny and some other guy. It was difficult to make out which arm belonged to whom. But Jenny's face was clearly visible, her mouth glued to the guy's. Khushi heard a crash and turned back to see a shattered glass scattered across the floor. Adi's expression was unreadable. "Khushi, would you mind if we went some place else?" Khushi agreed with a nod.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Khushi shriveled under Prof. Kakkad's glare. "Don't let the title go to your head." Khushi nodded and accepted the sheet of paper, unceremoniously stuffed into her hands. More than a week had passed since the Ethnic Meet. She and Arnav had managed to win the Desi Girl and Boy title with the widest margin in NLS history. It had been a joyous celebration. Khushi remembered with slight unease how devastatingly handsome Arnav had looked that day. She'd felt like a stub of homeliness next to him. She was sure that she wouldn't have won it if she weren't Arnav's partner. The female throng was euphoric, crooning his name in various pitches and styles. Prof. Kakkad had however totally disregarded the air of festivity and had surprised them with a test. Unable to escape, they had become martyrs on the answer sheets. Khushi's look withered on the diminutive B+ marring her paper. It was a bit disappointing. Correct that, It was highly disappointing more so cause Arnav Singh Raizada happened to get a neat A+ clearly stamping his accession on the class genius throne. Who would have guessed that football star was a champion at academics also? Not Khushi. It didn't even strike her. She'd been so shocked when he had walked back to his seat, with the A+ flashing off his paper that she'd snatched it from him, to make sure he hadn't bribed his way through. "How did you manage that?" she asked accusingly as soon as the bell sounded. Arnav shrugged it off and continued packing his bag. Adi was busy trying to explain something to Afreen who had returned with a hideous haircut. "You tell me how your dinner date went and I'll gladly tell you how I managed this feat," he swung the backpack around his shoulder. Khushi clenched her teeth. This had been the constant question over the week. Every single time she bumped into him, he began about that dinner date and she sealed her lips, stomping off in another direction. She couldn't bring herself to tell him that they had stumbled upon his sister, necking at restaurant side. Not to forget that they'd driven straight home and slept after eating oats!

"Fine," she let out a stream of breath, zeroed her best "Go-Jump" look and marched off in the opposite direction. Arnav stood there, trickles of irritation sliding down his insides. Why couldn't she just tell him how the dinner date had gone? He didn't dare ask Adi. Adi was astute in sensing things and would immediately guess that it had been his idea to set up the dinner date. He let his eyes skid to where his friend stood, with that bimbo he had for a girlfriend. Adi definitely looked miffed by whatever Afreen was blabbering about. And his eyes were clapped onto Khushi's retreating figure. Score 1, Arnav smugly chalked up. *********************************************************************** *********************************** Khushi swirled the contents in the coffee mug. The cafeteria was buzzing with overwhelming levels of activity. She stretched her legs and felt the sole of her flats collide with someone's foot under the table. Adi smiled at her across the table and withdrew his extended legs. Afreen viewed the exchange in their looks and soured her already surly expression. The gang was seated in the cafeteria, tired from the noon slot of classes. The grades of the test also had a crucial role in burdening the moods simmering across the table. Jenny walked over with a glacial mask on her face. Arnav looked at her face searchingly. "I've come to invite you all to Raghav's surprise birthday party," she smoothly announced. She looked around the table with icy detachment. It was just a formality, Khushi deducted. Her eyes warmed when the rested upon Khushi. "Khushi..." she gently said, vocally extending a special invitation. Khushi flashed an enthusiastic smile and nodded. "Why does only she get a special invitation?" Jay whined making a puppy face. Arnav's expression was blank as he saw his friend trying to charm his sister. "Grow a brain and I'll give you a platinum encrusted invitation" Jenny retorted, her eyes twinkling. Jay let out a soft howl. By the murderous look on Ripple's face, everyone could guess what had just happened under the table.

"TGIF," Jenny addressed Arnav this time, spelling the venue of their favorite hangout and the chosen place for the party. "Imagine geeky Raghav in TGIF! 2 pans of Family Law, 5 plates of Constitutional Law and free scoops of Criminal Law" Afreen oinked. Mock horror tainted the features of her face as she tried to imagine the scenario. She desparately looked around waiting for someone to join her in her "Insult-Raghav" campaign. When the strained silence of disapproval echoed back, she fell back in her seat, concentrating hard on her french fries. Jenny's face was contorted with barely controlled fury. Khushi could feel the anger Afreen's words had churned up in her. "We'll be there," Arnav calmly spoke up, cleverly distracting Jenny and letting her anger fizzle out. Jenny accepted the bait and drew back her claws. "So are you guys official?" Ripple chimed, her eyes glazing at the prospect of a new couple in town. "Sort of," Jenny motioned noncommittally. Adi stood up abruptly, causing his chair to scrape the ground. His eyes were averted from Jenny as he said, "I can't make it. You guys carry on." Arnav shot him a questioning look to which he responded, "Have some prior engagements." "Appointment with the shrink?" Jenny probed. Adi's frame tightened, his knuckles where white on the edge of the table. His voice shook with retaliation, "Nope. Going shopping...to get Raghav the strongest mouthwash available in the market. He'll be needing it." Khushi gasped. Adi's eyes were boring into Jenny's with the shadows of that dinner night creeping up. Confusion splattered on the faces of the rest, but Khushi felt as though someone had punched her. Adi!!! She rubbed her eyes to make sure it was him who had spoken aloud. His words had been calibrated with sheer poison. She looked over to see how Jenny had fared. Jenny's pretty face had paled. Her lips were quivering, a hint of tears were rimming

her eyes. She took a step backwards, her eyes fortifying that unexpected vulnerability beginning to sparkle in their depths. She composed her herself, stuck out her chin defensively and walked out. She'd watch "Tees Maar Khan" a zillion times before letting Adi see how deep his words had hurt her. *********************************************************************** ********************************** The air was strung with tangible trauma. Adi ran his fingers through his hair, blotting out the nefariousness of what had just happened. He hadn't meant phrase his words like that but they'd come tumbling out anyway. "Smurf you Adi! Get a grip, will you?" he chided himself. "What was that for?" Arnav's voice shredded his thoughts. "I didn't mean it," Adi regretted, "She's right. I flipped a switch and gored her." Arnav arm came around his shoulder, strong and understanding. Adi looked into his friends eyes and caught sight of an oasis of reassurance. Adi made to dash out behind her but was restrained by Arnav. "Not now," he calmly said, "At the party." Adi looked despairingly at the exit of the cafeteria. Afreen stood up, her eyes awash with unabashed joy. She dropped a heavy kiss on Adi's cheek, "You were great. That ought to shut her up for some months now." Khushi recoiled with distaste. Afreen was deplorable. She saw the earnest regret streaked across Adi's face and wondered what had caused him to react thus. She'd always seen Jenny and Adi bickering harmlessly, but today had been vicious. "Zip it!" Arnav growled at Afreen. She scowled at him, tossed her hair back and walked off in a huff. Ripple and Jay silently slid off their chairs, signaled that they were leaving too and exited. "Chillax dude! Let's get you home," Arnav mumbled, dragging Adi in his wake. Khushi scrambled after them. *********************************************************************** ************************************ Khushi knocked on the door. The wood felt taut under her knuckles as she gulped in a needed lungful of air. A muffled "come in" sounded from behind the door. She gently pushed open the door and walked in.

Adi was seated on the chaise lounge, out in the balcony. He had a thick book in his hand and was flipping through the pages with unbreakable concentration. Khushi realized that it was an album he held in his hands. She quietly walked over and sat down next to him. "Want to talk about it?" Adi looked up. His eyes were held skies of misery and his face was etched with pain. He looked down quickly, pursing his lips tighter and letting silence reign. Khushi looked down at the snap that was staring out of the album, across his lap. It was picture a of Adi, Arnav and Jenny. Arnav and Adi stood shoulder to shoulder, wearing identical grins, with their lanky frames twined together by their arms. Khushi's heart flipped. She thanked her stars that she hadn't gone to high school with them. Her heart would have been crushed gun-powder fine, not once but twice over. They were oblivious to the girl clad in tunic, standing behind them with a rose in her painfully thin hand. Her eyes were fixed on Adi and held a realm of adoration in them. The nervousness in her face was evident. "She liked you," Khushi heard herself whispering. Adi nodded his head almost involuntarily. He had been a jerk to her then and he was being a jerk to her now. He snapped the album shut, blocking out the memories arrested within edges of these pictures. He had to meet Jenny. He had to talk to her. He swung around, facing Khushi and meeting her ebony black eyes head on. With a determined glint in his eyes he breathed, "I need to get to that party." *********************************************************************** ******************************** Khushi let her fingers graze over the snap. Gray eyes exuding laughter, head thrown back with a wild triumph and lips parted in half laugh. There was something primally breath-snatching about the picture. Khushi could feel an itch spreading across her palms to pulls out her sketch pad and get to work. She eyed the clock which read 9:00pm. She had exactly half an hour to get dressed for the surprise birthday party. She carefully placed the album that she'd picked up from Adi's room on her bed stand and walked over to her closet.

She pulled on her ocean blue full sleeved top and her black jeans. She quickly brushed her hair back, taming it into a sleek ponytail. She ranked herself "smart" as she checked out her reflection. "Smart," Adi echoed as she slipped into the car fifteen minutes later. He was dressed in a casually in a baby yellow tee and denims. His hair was tousled and the corners of his eyes were wrinkled with stress. The drive to TGIF was long. Khushi nearly dozed off courtesy Adi's stifling silence throughout the drive. He was preoccupied with his own thoughts and Khushi looked at the shops and building swishing by with forced interest. Her mind slunk back to that photograph. She tried picturing Arnav as a carefree, playful boy and failed. He seemed wary and cautious all the time. His smiles were rare and when he did smile, the world came to a halt. Khushi pushed away his thoughts and focused on the drab buildings flashing across her eyes. She didn't want to be thinking about him. He was one puzzle and she'd rather leave unsolved. He had been persistent in trying to link her up with Adi and it confused her to the hilt. Why would he try to push her towards a guy who was already committed? In his efforts, he had slackened his caginess and even been playful. Her heart warmed at the image of him winking at her. However, tucked away in the back of her head was that Arnav who had ruthlessly stepped over a girl's heart and walked off. She couldn't bring herself to forget that even though she was genuinely beginning to like him as a person. It stuck in her head, like a leech. Adi was driving at an erratic speed, sometimes racing and sometimes slowing down. They stopped at the gift gallery to pick up cards and a gift for Raghav. After what seemed like an hour, the car pulled over in front of the Infiniti mall. *********************************************************************** ******************************** Khushi sniffed at the friendly and relaxing ambiance of the place. A group of people were already there, crowding around a table. She walked in with Adi, conscious of the stares she was receiving. Plain Jane receiving lewd looks!!! Enter, Kali Yug. Raghav stepped forward, beaming at them. Adi gave him the cards and embraced him

with wishes. Khushi handed over the gift, wishing him a great year ahead. Adi's eyes began scrounging the bunch of them gathered for Jenny. At his reflex rigidifying, she guessed he had managed to spot her. He left her side and walked forward, melting into the crowd. "This color makes your skin glow," a voice descended into her ears. She looked up into those hypnotizing meadows of gray. She smiled back, timidly. "Thanks." "Where is Adi?" the question bombarded, shattering the Khushi's mood. Not here. Not now. "Look, I'll tell him I love him when I'm ready. Stop badgering me," she testily sighed. Jenny stepped from behind Arnav, her eyes orbs of wonder and the question, "In love with whom?" spilling out. She was dressed in a white crop top, a crochet pullover teamed with patterned skirt that fell to her knees. She managed to look crisp and lovely as ever. Khushi gulped down Arnav's image. He was towering over her in a Prussian blue tee and black jeans. He was one salve to soothe her eyes. Arnav looked over his shoulder to his sister and replied, "Adi." Jenny muttered a soft, "Oh!" It then horned into Khushi's brain. Everything clicked into place. Jenny's face had been eclipsed by a haunting sadness for a moment when Arnav had taken Adi's name. Which spelled that she wasn't over Adi yet. Khushi analyzed Adi's behaviour. He had been looking on the verge of exploding when she'd told them that she was with Raghav. It all made sense now, except she didn't know why they weren't together and why they fought like it was their addiction. "Adi was looking for you," Khushi blurted out. Jenny looked at her, her facial muscles on red alert. "I don't wanna see him," she firmly said and walked off to Raghav. *********************************************************************** ***********************************

Loud latino music was storming through the room and the flow of tequilas was unstoppable. Khushi sat glued to her seat, keeping safe distance between herself and the shots. Adi was standing next to Raghav, his eyes hooked to Jenny but simultaneously carrying on some conversation with the guy. Khushi stood up and joined them, attempting to free Adi so that he could go about his business. Adi took the cue and followed Jenny out of the room. "Jenny," his voice was hoarse. She turned around on her heel, momentarily shocked. He took a step closer to her and she stood her ground. "Look, am not interested," her voice was steely. "I'm really sorry," he voiced, "I was an insensitive prick." Jenny rolled her eyes and resumed walking out. Adi felt a quicksand of desperation tugging at him. He ran forward and caught her arm. She looked down at his long fingers, imprisoning her arm, "Let go." "I won't," his voice was guttural with emotion, "I can't" Jenny looked up into his eyes, caught the whiff of regret ricocheting off him. She took a deep breath and removed his hand from her arm. "Its okay. Go back in," she signaled with her hand. He stood there, staring back at her, feeling foolish. "Are you really out with Raghav?" his voice sounded really funny now. She raised one neat eyebrow, "Any problem?" "No. No problem," he stammered to himself and took a step backwards. She waited for him to head back into the room. He looked up at her, "What if I had a problem?" "I'll pray that it isn't contagious," she scoffed. His hands came up in response, gripping her by the shoulders and crashing her against him. He was shaking uncontrollably as he brought his lips hungrily down on hers. Her breath caught in her throat as he pressed harder, demanding a response out of her. She felt her lips quivering beneath his and fireworks crackled through her head,

blinding her almost. She felt an odd congestion grip her chest and she fought to breathe. The most amazing sensation rocked through her body, sending her into flames of sensation. Her hand crept up and encircled his neck, anchoring her closer to him. God! She loved the feel of him against her. Love being the functional word. Her eyes snapped open and her hands fell down to the sides, breaking their contact. She pushed him away, letting sanity flood back. How could she? He was Afreen's boyfriend and Khushi loved him! Her eyes widened with disgust at herself. "Jenny..." he affectedly croaked. "This was a mistake," she ran with all her might, as far as she could get from him. *********************************************************************** *********************************** Khushi looked at Arnav perplexed. His phone had been ringing for the past ten minutes and he'd been cutting the call repeatedly. Finally he'd switched off his device and buried it in his pocket. "It could be something important," she pointed out. Arnav gave her a queer look and said, "It isn't." She grimaced, slid off the chair and walked over to where Jay was. Arnav fished out the phone and punched the on button. The screen flashed - 7 missed calls : Kajjal.

CHAPTER NINE
HIGH SCHOOL DIARIES The pounding in his head was slowing down his reflexes. He swung his fist to smash the guy's nose, but missed, loosing balance and toppling over in the process. A hail of mocking laughter rang through the corridor. Adi cursed the inopportune headache that had assaulted him just as Rakesh and his cronies cornered him outside the locker room. He felt his muscles sag from exhaustion. Football practice wasn't exactly some cousin brother of footsie.

He hauled his body up, exerting the power left in his arms. "I like you where you are," Rakesh drawled. Adi realized that his head had been two inches away from Rakesh's dusty loafers. Anger, slashed through him and got him to his feet. "And I loved your expression yesterday," Adi found his voice, "You know when Miss. Claire signed your suspension letter. A flipping Kodak Moment." Rakesh snarled audibly and grabbed the scruff of Adi's neatly ironed shirt. His eyes flashed venomously as he hissed, "You'll have your Kodak Moment after I'm done smashing your pretty face." Adi felt the pain before the punch landed on his jaw. He staggered backwards, searching blindly for balance. The 'Prefect' badge pinned to his uniform wasn't going to stop Rakesh from carrying through his threat. Adi closed his eyes, forcing himself to breathe. He had turned Rakesh in, complete with those packets of drugs on his person yesterday to the Principal. Rakesh hadn't even seen it coming. Adi had been informed by Arnav about Rakesh's drug habit. It was his duty to take the matter to Miss. Claire. He hadn't been appointed Prefect to stand on the sidelines and cheer while students went around burying their noses in shit. Rakesh's huge body was blurred as Adi felt a stinging pain blast through his head. He pressed his fingers to his temples, trying to crush the pain. In a daze he saw Rakesh lunging forward, with every intent of pummeling him into the ground, maybe straight to hell. He waited for the punch to come. And waited. His blinked his eyes open after a few seconds, wondering why it was eerily silent all of a sudden. He bit back a groan. Man! Not here. Not now. Jenny, Arnav's sister was standing between him and Rakesh. Her water bottle cap askew, Rakesh's face suprised and dripping. Her eyes were flashing like a cat whose fish had been snatched away. "Don't touch him," her shrill voice rang, "you... you...HOUND of Gunda-ville!" Great. She'd been reading Sherlock Holmes. Explained why her stalking skills were so razor-sharp. How else had she located them in this deserted corridor? Adi knew that her large doe-eyes followed him everywhere he went, but this was painfully embarrassing.

Rakesh smirked at the tiny girl standing before him. Adi tried to move but found himself frozen in pain. "What do we have here?" he jeered, "Oh! Mehra you have an amazing back-up. But then that's expected right? Hiding under skirts is your secret passion. Vikram-AdiPansy-Mehra." Adi willed himself to step forward but Jenny was faster. Her nails nimbly dug into Rakesh's arm causing that mountain of a guy to let out another curse. With an irritated bark Rakesh swatted Jenny off, "Keep your ego-balm with you Adi. She stings." Jenny pivoted around looking at Adi, her huge eyes were sheer orbs of concern. Adi looked past them to the group that was fast fleeing. Rakesh's voice floated across the corridor, "You know what is admirable??? She does a better job than you could ever hope of doing." That stung. It wasn't that he was a chauvinist or anything but being told that he was weaker than a wisp of a girl, who was younger than him didn't exactly feature on Adi's list of compliments. The "YOUNGER" stood out more than the "girl". "What the hell were you doing here?" he barked. Jenny winced at the voice but planted her feet to the spot stubbornly. "I saw him beat you so I came over," she replied. "Look, I can take care of myself. I don't need anyone fighting my battles for me. Least of all, YOU!" Jenny blinked. The words were flying like arrows from an invisible quiver. Adi continued harshly, "Stop following me around, boring me with your jonesing looks. Its pathetic. If you weren't Arnav's sister I wouldn't have tolerated your puppy behaviour. It makes me cringe..." He noticed the glimmer of tears shrouding her eyes and stopped. He knew he had crossed his verbal limits, trampled her heart and humiliated her. If he could he would take it all back in an instant but he couldn't. She capped her empty water bottle and hurried out of the corridor. ***********************************************************************

********************************* Puffy eyes. Check. Strained smile. Check. Blank look. Check. "Adi asked me to give this file to Arnav," Khushi said. Jenny rocked rocked back on her heels, dug her hands deeper into her capri pockets and jerked her head towards Arnav's room. "Are you okay?" Khushi gently enquired. "Yeah. Raghav will be coming to pick me up," Jenny unnecessarily added. Adi hadn't hadn't ventured out of his room from the previous night. He had locked himself away, snapping at anyone who dared to knock on his door. Something was definitely wrong with these two. "I'm not in love with Adi," Khushi hurriedly stated. Jenny who had been looking at her sneakers as if they were gonna sprout wings anytime now, jerked alert. Her eyes widened with shock. "Arnav has got it all wrong," Khushi sighed, "I'm not in love with Adi. Never was. He is just my best friend and I want to keep it at that." Jenny looked at Khushi questioningly, "Why are you telling me?" "Cause I don't want to give you two another reason to stay away." Jenny avoided the knowing look in Khushi's eyes and focused on her nail paint instead. She couldn't stop the images of last night from zooming on her mindscreen. Adi's lips against hers, the urgency in his hold, the scent of his passion...It had been too real. Jenny remembered all those years she'd spent following Adi in high school like a forlorn pup. Jonesing looks... puppy behaviour...cringe... That had been real too. She summoned her strength and squared her shoulders, "It doesn't change a thing." They heard a car engine purr to a halt and some loud honking. "That's Raghav, "Jenny whispered tonelessly, "I've to go." *********************************************************************** *****************************

Khushi turned the door knob silently and pushed the door open. Knocking all day long on Arnav's door didn't seem tempting on a weekend. An empty room greeted her eyes. She quickly walked to the neatly arranged study desk and placed the file on it. Sitting in the frame was a picture of Arnav with a football underneath his muscled legs. The guy was pretty photogenic. Strike that, the guy was darn photogenic. She turned around and caught the faint glaze of light bouncing off a wooden surface. A guitar??? Slowly she crossed the room and picked up the instrument from where it lay on the bed. Genius, footballer, artist and now musician! Was there anything the guy didn't know to do? Experimentally she struck a chord letting the loud twang vibrate through the emptiness of the room. Only the room wasn't empty. She hadn't heard the door at the opposite end of the room slide open. The guitar slipped from her hands and fell to the bed with a soft plop. Arnav Singh Raizada stood there, droplets of water still kissing his classically toned torso. He wasn't muscle-mass. He was gorgeously proportionate with his pectorals shaming even gym-goers. Her eyes grazed down lower, drinking in the exhibited beauty. The smell of fresh soap, chocolate and 'him' wafted through the room. Her eyes hung on the white towel precariously slung low over his waist. She quickly looked up to meet his eyes. His cheeks were flaming red and his gray eyes shifted uncomfortably calculating the situation. His hand pulled the sliding door a little as if debating if it would be rude to shut the door on her face. Khushi turned on her heel, closing her eyes shut to give him his privacy. "Could you pass me the clothes on the bed?" She nearly jumped at the voice. Her eyes noticed the clothes laid on the bed. She grabbed them in the arm and turned around. Awkward much? She mustered courage and walked to the door where he was standing. The room felt small all of a sudden, as if it had been arrested by a heat wave. She held out the clothes to him, willing her arm not to shake. He took the clothes, his fingers brushing across her wrist skin housing the pulse, in the process.

The door slid shut. Arnav heaved a deep sigh and rested his head on the misted glass of the shower stall. Next time, he had to make sure he double locked his door before plunging into a shower. The sight of Khushi holding his guitar was shocking. For a moment, he had thought his mind was playing cruel tricks and he was imagining his Best Friend's girl in his room. It had felt sooo wrong! But he heard the twang of the guitar realized what the sound meant. His near nudity had aggravated the situation. He couldn't stop the tingling sensation from feathering down his spine. And the burning at the back of his neck had definitely told the same story. The last time his body had responded this strongly had been... "No! Don't go there," he warned himself. Kajjal had never triggered this pure a response out of him. Never. It had been more strained. Never this carnal. He swiftly pulled on his tees and zipped up his pants, took a deep breath and slid open the door again. He was utterly unprepared for that blast of attraction that was humming in the room. He looked at Khushi, standing near the bed, still in a daze. She looked looked like an artist's fantasy like that. Her mouth curved in an unwilling half-smile, her fingers twisting in nervousness, her eyes in la-la land. She must have heard him for she looked up, her black goblets spiking his gray ones with some heady sensation. He saw the faint pink riding her cheeks and felt warm inside. Only he shouldn't. "So?" his voice was oddly husky. He cleared his throat again, mentally kicked himself and again repeated, "So?" This time it came out right- crisp and mildly indifferent. "Adi asked me to give you that file. I knocked on the door but nobody answered so I came inside," she replied. "Thanks." He did a mini-jig within. His voice had sounded as flat as it could be. She must have sensed his effort to put her at a distance cause she stuck out her chin. "So you play the guitar?" she casually asked in an attempt to make small talk. "Yep."

"And you sketch also?" Another nod. "Do you sing as well?" She was going to scream if he nodded again. The nod came and Khushi forgot her scream. "Is there anything you can't do?" "Can't hit on my friend's girl," he thought sourly. "I can't sew, cook, swim and act," he answered. Khushi let out a handcuffed breath. So he did have three things on the list. She refused to believe the "act" part given that 'Aur paas' sequence. Her cheeks flushed again, remembering the magic they'd spun together. There was that uneasy silence again. Khushi took a step backwards, towards the door. "I should go," she stammered. Arnav's gray gaze encompassed her. She felt a growing fire ignite through her veins. She broke the eye-lock and ran out of the door. *********************************************************************** *********************************** Khushi held the little girl's hand reassuringly and walked into the hospital. The worried mother followed behind, with Ranjan in tow. The duo had been standing at the roadside, waiting for atleast one swishing auto to come to a stop. Khushi's eye caught the pretty girl with her teary eyes and torn paint book. She'd asked Ranjan if it would be okay to give them a lift. The kind driver had smiled and pulled the car over in front of the stunned mother. Khushi had gently convinced the mother that she would drop them off at the hospital. The kid was burning with fever and the mother was at the cliff-edge of her endurance. She talked to the lady at the reception and got them a form to fill up. The mother's grateful eyes were reward enough. Ranjan stood there patiently, distracting the girl while Khushi quickly filled in the details on the form with the mother's help. "Kajjal Khanna," a deep voice asked.

"Ward No. 189," the pretty lass at the reception smiled back. Khushi looked up and saw Arnav walking down the corridor at road-runner pace. Arnav in hospital? Less than half an hour back he'd been in his room, looking superlatively handsome in that towel. "Kajjal Khanna" The name rang a bell. Big Ben Tower gong. She was the same girl whose heart Arnav had broken. The girl whom Arnav had been in love with 'onceupon-a-time'. Khushi stood up. "Ranjan, I'll be back in fifteen minutes. Just take them to the Medicine OPD please," Khushi requested. Ranjan nodded and took the kid's palm into his hand, leading the way. Khushi scanned the corridor for that gorgeous fleck of slate gray heading towards Ward No. 189. Her sharp eyes latched onto him and she quickly followed him. *********************************************************************** *********************************** Khushi pressed her ear against the door. She'd finally located the room he'd disappeared into. She didn't like eavesdropping but when it came to Kajjal-Arnav, she just didn't trust the guy. True to her thoughts, his voice swam out of the room, "I'd never thought I could hate you more than I already did. But then, surprise surprise..." his voice fell to a dangerous pitch. Khushi felt a chill snake down her body. Arnav's words were laced with stark hatred. Kajjal's whimper grew louder, "Arnav, I swear I didn't mean to do this." "And am supposed to care? The call just said you were hospitalized so I came. Had I known the reason...I wouldn't have wasted fuel." Khushi shrank at the words. How heartless could he get? "Arnav, I love you..." the voice was strung with sobs. Khushi felt her stomach clamp nauseously. "You make sick," his voice was devoid of the slightest trace of humanity. Arnav Singh Raizada had just de-throned Lucifer in hell. Devil, now had a new spelling: A-R-N-A-V. A soft tap on the shoulder told her that a nurse was waiting to enter the ward. Khushi

stepped to a side, her head playing the words "You make me sick" like a broken record. "Sister, what's wrong with her?" she heard herself ask the nurse. The nurse gave her an unsure look, unwilling to give out information. "Am her friend. Just that I hadn't been informed about the episode," Khushi lied through her teeth. "She was told she she couldn't have an abortion so she tried to do it herself," the Nurse supplied. Abortion. Arnav's child.

CHAPTER TEN
Khushi pushed herself to the edge of the seat. Her eyes traced the pattern of the colorful motifs on her kurti. A faint thudding in her head was the only remainder of the sleepless night. That and the fact that Arnav Singh Raizada had nearly become a father. Nearly. She promptly pulled out her mobile and busied herself with "angry birds." Anything to keep her mind off him. The sure footsteps drawing near reverberated in her her ears and she concentrated on the game with a vengeance. Someone sat down next to her. She took a deep breath. Not Arnav, she registered. There was none of that chocolate and spices smell that she'd come to associate him with. She dared a glance sideways. Adi sat there, his shoulders slouched and an oddly peaceful vibe emanating from him. "I broke up." The words were hurled without preamble. Khushi looked up to see Afreen dumping her bag next to some other guy, her face twisted with an expression like Carrie-drenchedin-pig blood. She looked straight at Khushi with a promise of expert knife usage on her pretty neck. "Was it rough?" Khushi brought her eyes back to Adi. "Liberating," Adi allowed a tiny smile. Khushi patted his back understandingly.

Prof. Kourosh Arjun glided into the class. Arnav hadn't arrived yet. Khushi made a side note in the largest font size available in her head- Avoid that swine. "Today we'll talk about Tort suits," the easy baritone filled the class. Prof. Kourosh Arjun felt like some powerful wizard minus the pointed hat and starsmeared gown. His voice cast a spell on the class, nimbly robbing everyone's attention. More complex job for the girls though. Concentrate of what he was saying and doubly concentrate on him. *********************************************************************** ***************************** "Weird," Adi muttered, his ear kissing the phone surface. Khushi raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Arnav isn't picking up the phone," Adi supplied, dialing again. The call precipitated into the voice mail asking him to leave a message after the beep. Adi ended the call. People were streaming towards the parking lot, waves of gossip flowing generously. They stood near the lawn, opposite the place where Jenny was giving Raghav a peck on the cheek. "Ask Jenny," Adi pleaded. Khushi nodded and they walked towards the couple who were busily laughing over one of Jenny's smart-ass quips no doubt. Khushi could feel the hint of jealousy radiating from Adi but it was overshadowed by his genuine worry for Arnav. Raghav's bike roared away leaving a smiling Jenny standing at the spot. She swung around, her face going rigid on seeing Adi and then struggling to form a smile seeing Khushi. "Hey," she managed. Adi just stood there, hands tombed in his pockets, waiting for Khushi to do the talking. "Nice sneakers," Khushi chirped, her eyes puddling with delight. Jenny flashed a charming grin and opened her mouth to give out the name of the store from which she'd bought them. "Where is Arnav?" Adi's voice cut her off. She froze at his voice. Khushi could feel the tension simmering between them. Jenny quickly regained her calmness, "At home." "Family work?" Adi kept his sentences to limited syllables.

"Not that I know of. Said he needed to be elsewhere today," Jenny mouthed. Khushi could just imagine where the fellow would have gone. Abusing Kajjal rated highest on Arnav's to-do list. "So how are you?" Adi asked avoiding her eyes. "Fine." "We should get going," Khushi interrupted the deathly silence wrapped around them. Adi nodded and walked off towards the car. "Is he okay?" Jenny stopped Khushi from following him. Khushi pivoted on her heel and met the blast of worry in Jenny's eyes. "I heard about their break-up," Jenny added. "I think he'll be okay," Khushi gave a small smile. The car pulled over where the two of them stood, Adi fiddled with the music system inside waiting for Khushi to get in. "See you 'morrow," Jenny intoned. Khushi smiled, walked over to the other side and slipped into the car. *********************************************************************** ********************************* "Something is terribly wrong," Adi wrung his hands together. Khushi sank into the seat next to him. The week had danced by without a single glimpse of Arnav. Adi had been over to the Raizada's place thrice but Arnav hadn't been home. "Why won't he pick up my calls?" Adi frustratedly pushed away the sandwiches. The cafeteria was trolleyed with excitement about the upcoming trip to Pune. The college was participating in the Moot being held at ILS. Khushi had been called to the SWO office the previous day. She and Arnav were to be the lead spokespersons at the event. "Maybe he is hiding," Khushi twirled a french fry between her fingers. "Hiding from what? Asteroids, hobbits or Rumpelstiltskin?" Adi looked up incredulously. Khushi froze. 'Rumpelstiltskin' definitely had a role to play in Arnav's out-of-season hibernation. A baby was intricately involved. "Maybe just a pimple attack," Khushi recovered from her thoughts. "Khushi will you do me a favour? Will you go and check on him?" Adi requested.

"Me?" Khushi sputtered. "I've been there thrice already," His voice held a careful plea. He didn't want to face Jenny over and over again. Khushi caught the waves. "Fine. But what should I ask him?" "Just give me a ring and force the phone to his ear. I'll handle the rest," Adi looked relieved. Khushi prayed inwardly that her temper remain uncapped. Orelse they'd both require more than band-aids. *********************************************************************** ********************************** Khushi circled her little finger with the edge of her dupatta, unwound it, repeated the action. She knew he was inside. Her ears were tuned to the sounds of pencil scratching over paper. She soundlessly turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. An explosion of chocolate and spices greeted her. Arnav was sitting on the cool tiled floor of the room, chart paper spread out before him. His eyes were crinkled at the corners with concentration and a thick charcoal pencil was stationed between his teeth. His hair fell on his forehead, slickly clasped to the skin. All sketching paraphernalia was strewn across the floor hinting at the week long toil. Khushi's breath caught in her throat. He had sketched Kajjal, her prettiness sharpened by the flair of his fingers. A cruelly distant look cuddled in her eyes. She was standing with her back faced to a man. A barbed fence separated them and the man was huddled on the floor, holding a lifeless baby in his arms. His face was shadowed and the helplessness was dripping from every stroke that had been etched to create him. The picture screamed agony and anguish. Khushi knew emotional smothering at that moment. He was almost finished with the sketch. Only the baby's eyes were left. Closed eyes. She was sure he would finish the picture with the baby's closed eyes signifying the end of life before it even began. Khushi took a step inside the room and leaned against the wall, waiting for the picture to be completed. He picked up his brush and dipped it into the blue paint bottle. He painted the eyes.

Open. Startling blue. And Khushi felt a sharp pain shoot through her. It had its eyes open, staring into the man's eyes, pleading for a life it could never have. Her eyes prickled with stinging tears. "What are you doing here?" Khushi recoiled at the brusqueness tainting the voice. "The child wasn't yours," she whispered, the truth mirrored in her heart. "What child?" He flung at her. His hands reached up and began rolling the chart paper. "You painted blue eyes. You have gray ones and Kajjal has black," Khushi reflected silently. The chart slipped from his grasp and his features solidified with shock. Shock faded into realization. Realization thrummed into anger. Anger erupted. He stood up, advancing menacingly to where she stood. The grays were seasoned with fury. Khushi stood still letting him stitch up the distance. He stopped, five inches away from her. His breathing was ragged and his body trembled with heightening anger. "You...had...NO business..." The words were wrenched out through gritted teeth. The sentence was never completed. Khushi flung her arms around him, burying her face into the warmth of his chest and letting the banked tears spill. She felt tremors of astonishment rock him and the way his anger slunk back to agony. The pain in his heart was palpable. "I'm so sorry," Khushi sobbed into his tee. Her fingers dug into the back of his neck, cuing the pressure of her emotions. He just stood there. Not a movement was excavated from him. His pupils dilated on impact leaving only a rim of tormented gray. Khushi scrambled for shreds of composure, dropped her hands to her sides and adjusted her dupatta. Her tear stained cheeks and hooded eyes were the only giveaway of her breakdown. Arnav searched in her eyes, waiting for some sign. He wanted to ask her how she knew about Kajjal and the baby. He wanted to ask her why she was sorry. He wanted to ask her to hug him again. He shook his head. Her unexpected response to his anger had stumped him. And he

had been jolted to a territory of pure pleasure as he felt her cheek against his pulsating heart. He hadn't dared to move, fear that the moment would dissolve if he did so, had been acute. "Give me the eraser," she murmured. Arnav bent down, retrieved the eraser and handed it over. She pushed the strands of hair that had sneaked out of her ponytail back into place. She sat down, opened the chart and began erasing. He looked on silently as she erased Kajjal out of the picture. She was deliberate, her fingers careful not to smudge the sketch. The barbed fence met with the same fate. She picked up the pencil and neatly worked on balloons attached to a string held by the baby. The man was gifted with wings and a halo. Arnav gulped. She'd converted the man to an angel. The sketch was now a tale of paradise. She dusted her hands and stood up. Gray gaze blending with the black one. "Coffee?" she worded. He numbly shook his head. Caffeine shots would definitely loosen his tongue. *********************************************************************** ****************************************************************** Khushi emerged from the hide-away door to the pantry with a new coffee powder bottle in her hands. The kitchen was done as tastefully as the rest of the Raizada house. It was designed in contemporary style with fresh cherrywood cabinetry. Arnav hoisted himself atop the pristine marble countertop. A tin of cookies lay open as he chipped away the chocolate crusted within the surface. Khushi efficiently worked with the coffee maker waiting for him to thaw the silence. "How did you know?" She poured the coffee into the mugs and offered him one. She lifted herself and settled comfortably on the countertop, next to him. "I was in the hospital when you came. I saw you and followed you and managed to hear a major part of the conversation," she sipped her coffee. The confusion still clouded his countenance. Khushi set the mug aside and attacked her dupatta edge. "The nurse told me that Kajjal had attempted to abort the child herself."

"That's against hospital rules," Arnav scowled heavily. "I told her I was her friend and wanted to know," Khushi shrugged. "It is still against the rules," His lips thinned at the breach of professionalism. "I lucked out." "I thought it was your child," Khushi picked up her mug, looking resolutely into its contents. "Can't say am surprised. You'd have probably imagined me administering cyanides intravenously to her. Foeticide just adds glitter to my profile," he gave a dry laugh. "I'm sorry," Khushi mumbled. She'd been judgmental, springing to conclusions just by viewing the coverpage. "I thought I loved her," his voice was almost toneless, "I found her knocked out at the backseat of my car. She wore his cologne over her whole body. Her lips were swollen and bleeding, her dress a total mess. I had been planning to propose her that night. The guy was a singer at some club. Part-Australian. She'd thrown herself on him, dragged him to my car and carried it on there. I had been making arrangements for the proposal inside. I did the sane thing and left her. She went berserk and kept coming back to me." "That day, at the Ethnic Meet..." Khushi cut in. "She told me she was pregnant and she planned to abort the child. She hadn't informed the guy," he let the bitterness soak his voice. Khushi placed the empty mug behind her. The ugliness of it all came swarming back to her with an intensity, just from a different angle. "She wanted us to continue where we'd left off. She told me she'd get the child out of our way," he continued, "I went to that club and told the guy that she was expecting his child. He was happy. He already loved the child and I could see it in his eyes. I spoke to her, asking her not to abort. She told me that the hospital had refused to do it. I was relieved. But she did it anyway. She killed the child..." Khushi covered his free hand with hers, extending the comfort of touch. She could feel the tiny shivers vibrating through him. "The guy didn't even have a say. He wasn't even given a choice, wasn't informed even. How could she?" Pain was now swollen into anger. "You couldn't have done more than you did," Khushi verbalized, "Let go Arnav. The

child is probably happier out there." "You are right," he said draining the remnants of the mug, "He is safer without her." He faced her, his luxurious gray eyes leaking with gratefulness, "Thank you." Khushi stuck out her chin, eyes twinkling and hand outstretched. "Friends?"

CHAPTER ELEVEN
Khushi chewed the inside of her lip, wishing some dragon would break in and carry her off. A spooky silence had descended on the class and she could feel all eyes on her. Hers cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she stood there facing the disappointment in Prof. Kourosh Arjun's eyes. "Khushi, Am really surprised at you. Everyone made an effort to finish the assignment. One question, two questions or in Afreen's case half a question was attempted. I can't believe you didn't find five minutes during the weekend to even take a look at the questions," he subtly chided. "Sir, I wasn't well," Khushi stammered, clinging onto the first excuse she'd groped out. "You were well enough to be at the Movies," he pointed out, "I saw the four of you there. And Adi, Jenny and Arnav have finished their assignment." Khushi stole at look at Adi was seated next to her. The pity in his eyes reminded her of French Revolution, guillotine and bread-cake war. "I'm really sorry, Sir." "I want your assignment book on my desk before you leave college today. No excuses," his tone had gone as hard as his eyes. With a casual flick of his hand he asked her to be seated and continued the class. Khushi tried to churn up some regret about wasting the weekend but surprisingly she couldn't. It had been the best day of her life. The four of them had hit the movies, eaten out and unwound. She couldn't bring herself to feel guilty over 24 hours of sheer fun. Jenny and Adi had been civil to each other throughout. Arnav Singh Raizada had been a different guy altogether. He had opened up more, laughed liberally at the jokes, smiled and been every type of a gentleman Khushi had

ever dreamed of. Khushi shook herself back to the present and wiped the content smile off her face. Side Note- They'd all finished their assignment and then enjoyed the weekend. She hadn't. She didn't want to sink deeper into grime in Prof. Kourosh Arjun's eyes. She'd skip her lunch and finish the assignment. *********************************************************************** ************ Khushi was aware of the glare Adi was directing her way but she couldn't bring herself to look up. Her hands flew over the paper. She still had ten more questions to go. Every answer seemed like an epic. Legal Studies were definitely not designed keeping her in mind. Roger that. If this had been some sketching assignment she'd have finished the entire book. By some twist of fate or that by some twist in her father's words she had landed her glorious backside into a Law School which demanded more than she could give. "Adi, will you go to the canteen already? Don't go all Edward Cullen on me. I don't fancy guys watching over me," she laughingly verbalized. Adi didn't seem to catch the funny bug though. "Khushi one sandwich isn't going to kill you. Am not even talking about a meal here. Just a sandwich." "You know I can't," she whined. Her stomach was contracting painfully, submitting to the licks of hunger. She'd totally eat even "Not-edible-even-at-gunpoint" pumpkin pie now. "I've got to finish this now," she determinedly shoved the thoughts of food out of her head. Adi lifted his hands in surrender and she heard receding footsteps. She took in a needed lungful and continued butchering the paper with her senseless answers. Five minutes later she heard him re-enter the class room. Inwardly, she moaned. He'd brought something chocolate and her stomach clamped with abominable hunger. She tore her eyes from the book and hazarded a look upward. It was just Arnav. He was dressed suavely in a white shirt tucked into the rim of his blue denims. His hair was trimmed crisply accentuating his good looks.

She felt the beginnings of tears stupidly surface. It was so flipping unfair that he smelled like chocolate. "Arnav, If Adi's sent you here, please just find your way back to the cafeteria," she told him, a little too brusquely. It wasn't his fault that he smelled so delicious, was it? But at the moment it would have helped if he smelled of rotten socks. He walked two steps forward, snatched the book from her and flipped through the pages. "9.5 more questions?" he asked. "Chetan Bhagat loaned you the .5??? Its clean 9 more questions," she retorted. She felt the smirk climbing his lips and it knocked the winds out of her. This guy was all varieties of "HANDSOME". "You missed out the third bit of the previous question," he supplied, letting the smirk bloom fully. Irritation, sadness and hunger punched her hard. 9.5 questions and only twenty minutes of the lunch break left. She'd never manage to complete it. "Go on, have lunch. I'll finish it for you," he offered. Khushi stared at him, her mind numbing at his words. "Are you serious?" she stuttered. The way his eyes draped in concentration, weighing her answers told her he was serious. She felt her heart flip and then crash down with an almighty fall. "But he'll know the difference in out handwriting," she voiced. "He won't," Arnav winked at her. With that, he practically pushed her out of the room. *********************************************************************** ************* He hadn't. Khushi slapped the widest grin on her face and skipped out of the staff lounge. Prof. Kourosh had been impressed and even complimented the sheer the brilliance of her last answer. Khushi's heart had done a savage tribal dance. Not only had she mended the broken bridge, she'd managed to re-paint its entire structure. She owed it all to Arnav.

Her eyes scanned the thick crowd lodged in the corridor. She caught the needed flash of white standing with his back turned to her. His head hung down and his fingers were distinctly flying over the keypad of his phone. He'd got himself a new phone, Khushi noticed. She quickened her steps, each step accumulated with more gratefulness. She threw her arms around him and dropped a big kiss on his cheek, "Thanks a ton!" She drew back and felt lightening strike her. An unknown face looked down at her quizzically, amusement heavily starring on the guy's face. She'd hugged a total stranger! "And what do I get this generous thanks for?" the guy's eyes twinkled with underlying meaning. Khushi went felt soot clogging her throat. Just how blind was she? The guy was a few inches shorter than Arnav, more packed with muscles and had eyes that looked like shards of ice. "I'm really sorry. I mistook you for someone else," she flusteredly explained. "That's okay. You in First year?" She nodded her head, her eyes were now desperately fishing through the crowd for either Adi or Arnav. "I'll see you around then," the guy was saying. Khushi threw in another apology and ran to where she'd spotted Adi. *********************************************************************** **** Khushi felt the sleek rubber of her flip flop slap against her soles as she moved about in the kitchen. Sweat beaded her temples and she felt the heat lethally slip into the pores of her skin. She wiped her hands on the apron and checked the bowls again. She tried remembering the last time she'd spent the evening in the kitchen. It had been the day before she'd boarded that train to Mumbai. The smell of the food reminded her of that farewell food she'd whipped up for her parents. What an inopportune time to succumb to homesickness! She neatly packed some of the food into containers and kept them aside for Omi and Ranjan. She daren't carry the bowls to the table herself. Her clumsiness with crockery was as legendary as her culinary skills. "Omi, take these out and set up the table," she requested the soft spoken help. The man smiled at her and obliged. Khushi could hear the loud cheering as the football commentary concussed on the walls of Mehra Mansion. She quickly ascended the

stairs to her room to freshen up for Dinner. She descended ten minutes later with her hair handcuffed in a band, her hands cleaned and smelling fresh. The Mehras, Jenny and Arnav were already seated at the table. She beamed as she made her way to the empty chair flanked by Adi and Arnav. Akram Mehra breathed in the aroma of the food, "Khushi this smells just like Happy Da Dhaaba's. Sashi and me spent lifetimes huddled up in that place, inflating our bellies." Khushi smiled at the mention of the familiar Dhaaba. D'uh homesickness! Scoot. "Baba still goes there sometimes. He told me that you loved the Aloo Mattar there." "I still do," Akram helped himself with the Aloo Mattar laid out on the table. "If the food tastes as good as it smells then I'm not gonna be able to go back to the match," Adi complained chuckling. Khushi felt the atmosphere at the table, tipped with infectious warmth. Jenny was the only exception. A distinct halo of unease graced her. "Jenny you want me to order something else?" Khushi gently asked. "Uh-uh. No. The food smells delicious," she bravely smiled and reached out of the buttered rotis. Khushi hurriedly looked down and detected the cause of her unease. Adi's legs were strectched out underneath the table almost brushing against Jenny's bare calves. "Too hot, isn't it?" Khushi wickedly asked Jenny. She received a glacial look laced with promises of strangulation. Khushi chortled as she placed another roti onto Arnav's plate. "You really didn't have to do this," Arnav whispered. He was clearly overwhelmed by this gesture.Adi had revealed to her that Arnav had skipped his lunch to finish her assignment. This was the least she could do for that selfless act of his. "Small delights of friendship," Sia Mehra announced loudly. She'd clearly overheard Arnav's comment. "Arnav when does your dad get back?" Akram asked, flooding the roti piece with gravy. "No idea uncle. He was supposed to be back day before but I don't think so he could make it," Arnav replied. Khushi heard the blare of sadness in his words. She realized that she'd never seen his parents. They had never been in the Raizada house when she'd gone over. She didn't know anything about his family except that Jenny had been welcomed into it.

"So when do you kids leave for Pune?" "Tomorrow morning," Adi supplied, "Arnav and Khushi are to be the main spokespersons." He failed to keep the hyperbolic pride out of his voice. Khushi felt an odd sensation clutter her chest. It had always been Arnav-Adi. She'd always envied their friendship and now she felt herself being sucked into that whirlpool. She couldn't have been more glad. Last week, when she'd extended her hand in friendship to Arnav, she'd been sure he would have asked her to keep the gory details of his relationship with Kajjal from Adi. But the next morn had just shown her that Adi-Arnav friendship went beyond 'unbreakable'. They completely trusted each other. Arnav had filled in Adi with every damning detail of his relationship with Kajjal. He even told him the bits where Khushi had insignificantly featured. Adi had nearly fallen to his knees, thanking Khushi for pulling Arnav out of the quicksand. "Packing done?" It was Sia's voice this time. Khushi's "NO" clashed simultaneously with three 'Yep, Done's. She looked around the table at the question marks hanging off the faces. "I was in the kitchen the whole evening," she pointed out. "Jenny'll help you after dinner," Arnav said. Jenny nodded with a willing smile. "Jenny, is it too spicy?" Sia Mehra concernedly placed her hand over Jenny's. "Your cheeks are pink," she further added. "I'm fine aunty. Really," she stressed. "Aunty, leave her. She is probably thinking of an unclothed Raghav swimming in the gravy and coloring up," Arnav mercilessly teased. Khushi felt Adi stiffen beside her. He cut the paneer with his fork with deliberate precision. With utmost effort, Khushi held back her giggles. "Raghav? You boyfriend?" Akram joined in. "Yes," Jenny's voice was held the enthusiasm of a teenager talking about Chemical equations. Sia however was oblivious to the tone. "I'm so happy for you," Sia squeezed Jenny's hand lovingly, "And you too Adi. Afreen was stinking news." Adi managed a small smile at his mother and immediately went

back to his paneer-hacking. "The dinner was wonderful, child. Sashi's gonna be green when he hears about this dinner," Akram rose from the table with a wink. *********************************************************************** *********** "Jenny, H.E.L.P!" Khushi flung her closet open and stared at the clothes. What exactly was she supposed to wear to the Moot? She didn't have anything formal and she couldn't wear her super-colorful salwars to a Moot Court, stand beside a guy who looked like some Indian version of Adonis and battle a case! To say she was having cold feet would be the understatement of the decade. It was like saying ghouls were the ones with wands and halos. "The dinner was amazing." A blast of chocolate and spices wafted into the room. She looked up and let that intense gray wrap around her. "Having trouble?" Arnav stepped into the room. Khushi allowed his gaze to sip at the satin bedspreads, the neatly brushed oriental rugs, the now-precious Italian desk. Khushi let him contrast his vibrant room with her almost too-elegant-to-be-used room. Hands down, his room had a more homely feel to it. "I don't exactly have formal wear. And I can't wear these pillowcases to Pune," she complained standing before her meticulously arranged closet. Arnav locomoted beside her. "Adi loves coral pink. You should wear it to the party," he suggested. Khushi titled her head and breathed in deep, "I do not love Adi." "Really?" Arnav faced her. His hands were crossed over his chest emphasizing its sculpture. "He is my best friend. That's that. And now you are too. What I'd do for him, I'd do for you too," she snapped at him. The anger in her voice vibrated through the air. Arnav took a step back in mock fear, "Whoa! Are you gonna turn into The Hulk? Or better yet, do you have a pair of Vampire canines stashed away in your closet?" Khushi smiled at that. "Where is Jenny? She was supposed to be helping me with the packing." "I think she went into Adi's room. She's got some problems in her internship which

Adi can help straighten." Arnav leisurely sat down on the bouncy mattress and eyed her cupbaord. "Wear the pearl gray dress to the party," he advised. Khushi pulled it out, neatly folded it and stuffed it into her bag. A blue and white salwar followed and the bag was zipped up. She would borrow formal wear from Jenny later. A solitary sheet of crisp paper flew out of her closet and landed near Arnav's feet. He bent low and swooped it up in a ruggedly graceful manner. Khushi's eyed the paper trying to remember what it held and "Give that back to me," she gawkily snatched it out of his fingers. She saw the gray orbs dilated with astonishment and dusted with flecks of doubt. This was painfully awkward. Obviously she needed to give him some explanation for sketching his eyes...and that too in such vividly disturbing shades of gray. It was hard to miss the smouldering depth she'd generously added to his eyes. "You sketched my eyes?" The words were carefully blank. No hint of emotion sullied them. "I guess so," Khushi nonchalantly responded. Her heart was pounding with unbearable force. She wondered if they made sound-proof vests for loud-hearted people. "Can I have it?" She nodded her head absently. Why did she want to scream, yell, create a scene and tell him that "NO! Its MINE!" Khushi felt restless at the thoughts slinking into her head. The obvious reason why she didn't want to part with the sketch was : It was 'her' creation. She'd put in time, effort and feelings. Wait, strike out the feelings bit. "Why don't you ever use colors?" Arnav asked, his stare was adhered to that sheet of paper. She thought back at that box of paints lying untouched at home.She didn't want to use colors. Colors weren't for her. "I don't fancy colors," she attempted for that blank tone and failed. The emphatic denial to have anything to do with colors rang out in the room. She was sure Arnav heard it but he chose not to probe. He was so easy to be sweet on! Khushi checked her wayward thoughts and dragged herself back to the present. "Excited about Pune?" Khushi asked trepidly.

"Now. I am." He winked.

CHAPTER TWELVE
The bus was parked near the main gate of NLS. Students were streaming into the open door of the bus. Hooting from inside the vehicle shattered the tranquility of the chilly morning air. Adi took the bag from her hands and marched towards the bus. Khushi hurriedly waved a bye to Ranjan who sat at the wheel of the Porsche and tailed behind Adi. Her thoughts flew back to her school days. The picnics had been toilsome. She remembered the mean pranks guys played on her. Pulling her thick braids, pinching her arm and purposely pushing her off the seat. She didn't feel the old anger simmer through her. Those had been her rag-doll days. Being a plain Jane had been worse than being a member of Adam's family. She recalled the time when Ashish had tossed her precious drawing book out of the window of the bus. She'd been inconsolable. Laughing to herself, Khushi took quicker steps to catch up with Adi. Bus rides weren't thoroughly enjoyable in her memoirs but they were definitely pretty eventful. She held the rail and pulled herself into the packed bus. As she'd guessed, the back seats were all occupied. Whistling softly, Adi stuffed their bags into the overhead space and took the window seat. Khushi slipped into the seat next to him. . "Arnav and Jenny?" Khushi looked around searching. "They're on their way. I love this weather," Adi stuck his head out of the window and inhaled a chunk of the morning freshness. Khushi caught sight of Raghav settling into the seat adjacent to theirs. He seemed to be in a very good mood. Khushi attributed it to the new shocking pink framed spectacles that sat on his nose. "Here they are," Adi announced. Jenny and Arnav stepped into the bus. Khushi could feel windlessness assaulting the population inside the bus. Two focal points of attention glided into the bus totally oblivious to the hushed whisperings. Jenny was dressed in white capris and a lavender off shoulder top. Her hair was one glorious mass. Arnav looked dashing as ever in a navy blue and white striped tee

and jeans. Khushi was re-visited by her 'Plain-Jane syndrome'. She silently got off her seat and flopped onto the empty one next to Raghav. "Hey! But Jenny was here," the guy protested. Jenny shot Khushi an admonishing look but Khushi stood her ground. Rather 'sat her seat' in this case. "It's okay, Raghav. When the bus stops for lunch break we'll swap back." Jenny coolly lowered herself on the seat next to Adi. Arnav clearly wasn't a morning person. He grumpily plonked the bag on the floor and sat alone in front of Adi and Jenny. His eyes were still red, whining about the early morning traveling chore. If he had a superman cape he'd have flown down to Pune at his own sweet time, Khushi was sure. "Excuse me," the voice startled her. Khushi looked up and saw those shards of ice. It was that stranger from the corridor. "You were sitting here?" Khushi piped loudly. Before he could reply, she nudged him out of the way and hauled herself next to Arnav. The guy stood there, bemused by her actions. He gave a little shrug and took his place next to Raghav. "Haven't seen you in the class..." Raghav obstreperously questioned. "Am in Final Year," the guy smiled back coldly, "I'm the Event coordinater of the NLS. Have to attend the Moot with you guys to ensure there are no goof ups." Khushi turned around to her eyes widening. She'd hugged and kissed a senior on the cheek! Crap! "My name is Shyam," his eyes twinkled at Khushi. She managed a 'Oh-greatcheese-time' on her lips and turned back. She sank further into the seat, intending to disappear from the bus. When that didn't work, she pushed herself closer to Arnav's territory. Her arm was now squeezed against his. "What's the matter?" he asked concernedly. She could see the tiredness the night had bequeathed his face. "I want to sit near the window," she abstractly chimed. Arnav rolled his eyes and stood up to exchange his seat with her. Khushi gladly shifted. "Now don't disturb me," Arnav warned. Khushi looked on as he stuffed the ear phones in, punched some buttons on his ipod and closed his eyes greeting sleep again.

Khushi ventured a look behind to check on Jenny and Adi. Her eye caught the smiling senior instead. He grinned wider causing Khushi's uneasiness to multiply a hundredfold. She snapped her head back and waited for the bus to start. *********************************************************************** ******************* Arnav looked adorable! Khushi wished on a thousand invisible shooting stars for her sketch pad! His stubborn chin rested on her chest, his neck was hung to a side supported by the shoulder. His jaw was shadowed with the lightest hint of a stubble. Every feature of his face had softened with an unreachable vulnerability. Khushi accepted the packet of chips Adi passed her. Her elbow grazed against the wire of the earphone dislogding it from the hollow of his ear. He was fast asleep and she didn't dare to put it back in place lest she wake him up. She worked on the packet of chips, trying to rip it open. It just wouldn't open. She tried harder, tugged at the edge in opposite directions. No outcome. Finally she let her teeth on the obstinate material and ripped it open. "What the..." Arnav was glaring at her with murder in his eyes. She tactfully thrust the opened packet under his nose and smiled, "Chips?" He gave her his best 'Scootto-hell-you-whacko' look, pouted like a child and slept back again. Khushi felt silent giggles raking her frame with unsuppressed intensity. She pulled out her phone and stole a snap. Technology made things so much easier. She couldn't wait to get back home and begin on this sketch. The bus bobbed up and down the smooth Mumbai-Pune National Highway 4. Khushi fidgeted in the seat while Arnav tossed and turned, trying to block out the deafening Antakshari that had taken birth in the backseats. "Mohit Chauhan is gonna burn his cap if he hears them singing," Arnav gnarled through gritted teeth. His eyes were still closed but Khushi could feel the coiled tension in him. They still had two more hours to go. Khushi knew that she'd die of silence if Arnav slept on. "Arnav," she stammered. His eyes cracked open and she felt the explosion of gray drench her. "What is it now? You want a massage?" he irately asked her.

"No, just your earphone." Arnav stuffed one of the pieces into her hand and placed the other one in his ear. She plugged it on and let the music storm through her, washing away the boredom. "Alex Band!" Khushi guffawed. Arnav looked at her, his first smile today splitting his lips. "Hey! This one is Jenny's playlist okay. Its kinda sleep inducing so I listen to it while sleeping." Khushi laughed some more before resting her head back and enjoying the song. My eyes are painted red The canvas of my soul, Slowly breaking down,again Today I heard the news The stories getting old When will we see the end? Of the days, we bleed for what we need To forgive, forget, move on Cause we've got One life to live One love to give One chance to keep from falling One heart to break One soul to take us Not for sake us, Only one Only one The writting's on the wall Those who came before Left pictures frozen still, in time You say you want it all But whose side you fighting for? I sit and wonder why There are nights, we sleep, while others they weep With regret, repent, be strong Cause we've got One life to live One love to give One chance to keep from falling One heart to break One soul to take us

Not for sake us Only One Just you and I Under one sky (Credit: Only One by Alex Band) Khushi's head involuntarily slid onto Arnav's sturdy shoulder, her eyes closed as sleep finally abducted her. Five minutes later, Arnav's head softly inclined against hers, his breathing slowed down with hints of sleep. *********************************************************************** ************* Half an hour later the bus jerked to a halt, kicking Arnav and Khushi out of their music bound sleep. Arnav twisted around to ask Adi where they'd stopped. He let out a delicate gasp. Khushi rubbed her eyes open and craned her neck to get a better view of what had caused Arnav to gasp. Jenny's fingers were twined around Adi's, her head buried into the side of his chest while he had his arm anchoring her. They still were asleep, smiles swarming their lips. "Where are we?" Arnav asked Shyam who was talking to the driver. "Lonavala. We had to skip our stop at Khopoli. It was too crowded," he explained. His eyes then rested on sleepy-eyed Khushi and he gave her a chillingly intimate smile. Arnav scowled. "You two have met before?" he asked. "I ran into him yesterday. Sort of dashed headlong into him," Khushi quickly replied. "Oh!" Arnav sighed. "Listen up," Shyam's deep voice filled the bus, "You can have your lunch, freshen up and do all the extras you want. The bus leaves after 45 minutes. We are not waiting for anyone. You're late, call a cab and just get your rearside back to Mumbai. Not gonna make a difference." He stepped out of the bus leaving an eerie silence in his wake. Slowly, students thawed out of the bus and headed for the restaurant. Arnav shook Adi lightly, "Dude, wake up. Lunch time." Adi slapped his hand away

and turned his face. Jenny refused to budge either. "I think we'll have to get their lunch here," Arnav verbalized. He seemed fully awake now. "Come let's rush," he pulled Khushi's hand and dragged her out of the bus. *********************************************************************** ****************** "You'll have just tea?" Arnav's eyebrow dived into his forehead. "I can't bear to eat meals while traveling. It makes me queasy and I'll be spilling all sorts of colors on you soon enough," Khushi catered out information. Arnav shrugged his shoulders and handed the packed food to the little boy at the tea stall. "Can you see that bus there? Run and give this packet to the guy who is sleeping in the second seat." The enthusiastic boy grabbed the packet and ran through the wind, towards the bus, without a backward glance. Arnav smiled and sipped his tea. Lonavala was chilly. Khushi wrapped her dupatta tighter around herself. The warm liquid coursed down her throat stamping pleasurable heat along its way. Arnav replaced his empty tea glass on the counter of the stall, fished out some notes and gave it to the smiling owner. "Ever had ice-lollies in this weather?" Arnav began. Khushi shook her head in negative. Had he bumped his head during the ride? Ice-lollies in this weather! "Come on. I know the perfect place. We'd vacationed in Lonavala after our 12th exams. I remember quite some places." Soon enough they were trudging along the steep path towards the solitary ice-lolly stand up the hill. The restaurant was lost in the bushes behind them. Khushi looked back, her heart hammering with fear. What if they didn't make it back to the bus in time? With every step she took, reluctance coruscated with emphasis. "Khushi, stop fretting. We have a good ten minutes left. We'll reach back," Arnav rubbed his hands together, working up some heat. "I'll have one Cola," Arnav told the old man. "And you?" he rounded on Khushi, his eyes bright with excitement. "Cola," she repeated still thinking about the waiting bus. The man handed them the wooden sticks piled with flavored ice. Arnav paid the man and they set out downhill. He took a generous lick out of his ice and moaned in delight. Khushi felt her heart flutter at the sound. She tried hers and knew ecstasy.

No wonder he'd been so insistent on having these ice-lollies. "This is good," she complimented. Arnav smirked proudly and took another huge bite of the ice. "Let's play instant reaction till we reach the bus," Khushi proposed. "Shoot," Arnav complied. "Paints" "Canvas" "Eyes" "Bambi" "Law" "Judge Wigs" Khushi tittered at that before continuing, "Strawberry" "Condoms" She shot him a wary look. He sobered and diverted his attention back to the icelolly. "X-box" "Drug" "Soccer" "Mom" Hard look, round two. Arnav shrugged his shoulders this time, not erasing the smirk off his face. "Will Smith" "Saves-the-world" "Kookaburra" "Afforestation"

"Rodeo" "Bruce Ford" "Golf" "Sprinklers" She flushed at the inadvertent innuendo. Arnav was unmindful of the slush of thoughts unleashed in her head. He stopped at the foot of the hill, and tossed the stick into the trash can. Khushi mopped up the remaining ice and followed suit. "Bus" "Gone" Khushi blinked at him twice. She turned around, following the direction his eyes were fixated in. An empty space greeted her where the bus had stood. Every alarm in her system fired up and claxoned. Arnav stood there rooted to the spot, his feet immobilized from the shock. "My phone was inside the bus," he finally tore the pall of silence. Khushi pivoted on him accusingly, "Mine too!" The words were a helpless wail. This was perfect. Frikkin' Perfect! They were stranded in Lonavala!

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
"I don't think I can go any further," the cabbie turned around. Arnav stared at the small crowd of glitzy vehicles crowding the narrow road. After half an hour of pathetic hitchhiking they'd managed to grab a cab. Khushi had remained stubbornly quiet through the drive. The impenetrable silence was now quaking the cab and beyond, spanning the solar system. "We can still catch up with the bus if you'd let me drive,"Arnav shifted uneasily in the backseat, shooting a pleading look at the cabbie. "You won't be able to catch the bus if Schumacher drove the cab. A fallen tree has blocked the road. Nothing with four wheels can get past it," he shrugged. "A roadblock!" Khushi gasped, letting the decaying smell of silence slide away. She

turned to Arnav, her eyed widened in absolute horror, "What do we do now?" "This should be cleared by tomorrow morning," the driver interrupted. "Is there no other route?" Arnav tried to tame the worry punching his solar plexus. "Not that I know of. You'll have to stay the night in Lonavala. Infact you'll have to stay in Lonavala till tomorrow night if my calculations are right," the fellow killed the engine and comfortably settled back on the leathered seat of the cab. "And what is that supposed to mean?" Arnav irately asked. "By the looks of it you aren't aware of the transport strike tomorrow, from 6 a.m to p.m." "What the..." Khushi and Arnav spat out simultaneously. For a moment they stared at each other, small smiles tugging at the corners of their lips at their perfectly timed outburst. And then the clout of realization brought them crashing back to reality. "And I should be getting back home now," the driver discreetly signaled them to get out of his cab. "But where will we go?" Khushi stammered. "I suggest you go up the hills, run around trees and sing one or two Bollywood songs. Standard procedure when couples get stranded in Lonavala, " the cabbie sniggered. Arnav got out of the taxi and slammed the door shut. The guy's jokes could take the damn blocked Highway. The sound of the engines purring to life grated on Arnav, he could see the cars slowly melting away leaving the uprooted tree in full view now. Khushi stepped out of the cab, her eyes following his gaze. Now only if he had been friends with The Hulk, life would have been so much more easier. *********************************************************************** *********************** "Are you sure they'll be alright?" Jenny stiffly asked Adi. She'd risen to find herself half-sprawled over his chest. It had felt amazingly good. She couldn't seem to burn away that look he'd given her when she'd opened her eyes. It had been ablaze with a raw, ignited passion. "Arnav is there. Don't worry. At the most he'd have dragged her back to that ice-lolly stall and pitched a tent there," Adi patted the back of her hand.

She quivered at the touch. Why? Why was he doing this to her? Hadn't he once told her that her lovesick puppy eyes made him cringe... He'd ripped her feelings and tagged them as mere 'jonesing'. She had never felt more degraded in her life. Yet she felt helpless. She hadn't stopped herself from going to his room the last night when they'd been at the Mehras for dinner. She hadn't stopped him from hugging her and telling her over and over again that "He had been a fool earlier." She had let him sweep her of her firmly planted feet, let him diminish Raghav's territory giving him full access to her vulnerable heart. She'd fled from his room when she'd realized where this was steering to.. "Isn't she the one who won Desi Girl title at the Ethnic Meet?" Shyam's voice jerked her out of her thoughts. "She is," Adi carefully replied. He couldn't let his dislike show. Shyam had refused to let the driver reverse the bus. They had been what, five minutes late??? "I hope they caught that cab back to Mumbai. Lonavala ain't some animal free zone. They could become happy meal," his raspy voice crackled through the bus. "Neither is the bus for that matter," Adi muttered under his breath. "We could have just waited for five more minutes," Jenny matter-of-factly said out loud enough for Shyam to hear. He shot her a condescending stare, "Rules are not to be bent for almighty Raizadas also. You father may be on the board of directors but unluckily he didn't buy the bus." "Ta Da! What have we got here? Another of those green-horned spirits who haunt Paa's bank acount more than they do their own lives?" Jenny wiggled a naughty finger at him. "Behave, Princess Raizada. Cheers to democracy, I can have my opinions," Shyam grated. "You mean Prejudices, right?" Adi interjected. "Unless the two of wanna see the Moot court proceeding on your precious HD screen, you'll zip it and keep it that way till we reach Pune," he viciously spat. Adi's palm balled into a fist. Jenny's smooth hand covered it, stroking his skin lightly

with a calming effect. "Not worth it," she whispered to him. Her eyes bumped into Raghav's wary ones at the opposite seat and she felt a wail of guilt echo through her. *********************************************************************** ***************************** "How much longer do we have to do this Dandi March?" "Let's just stop there for a while. It would have been utterly romantic if I could have carried you the distance but I hope you'll manage." They had been walking tirelessly for the past forty five minutes, back the route the cabbie had driven them. Arnav could see the fatigue wrapping her frame. They had to stop before both of them booked early coffins. The shack was almost devoured by the bubbly greenery sheeting the area. The clouds above rumbled in warning, sending forth their titillating prologue. Arnav noticed the slight shiver tide through Khushi and allowed himself another huge slice of regret. Who would have thought that 'ice-lollies' would be the bane of Arnav Singh Raizada's existence? "Cold?" he gently asked. She turned those huge, doe eyes on him accusation still crusting its rich black interiors. "Cold and stranded," she forcefully spelled it out. "And just how do you like your apology to be served?" he asked, trickles of irritation forcing its way into his voice. "What I'd like is for a vehicle to be served. Hot and fast," she grumbled. Her dupatta swayed flirtatiously to the tunes of the breeze. Arnav's eyes drank in the dance. Nobody looked as stunning as her in Indian wear. He remembered the first time he'd seen her in that red saree during the Ethnic Meet. He'd almost felt breathless with admiration. He felt oddly breathless now too. He shook himself out of the reverie. This was such an awkward time to develop a fetish for flowy dupattas. The light drizzle seeped through his clothes, prickles of chilliness coming in contact with his skin. He looked up at the overhead festivity. There was going to be some heavy serenading from above. He quickened his pace, taking longer strides towards the wooden-haven.

Khushi imitated his pace, her dupatta was thrown over her head shielding it from the rain. He pushed open the creaking door and felt the whiff of warmth settle on him. It was a rather small shack, with just one window and no other rooms. Arnav looked heavenward sending the Good Lord a heartfelt 'Thank You' for small mercies! There was no leaky roof. "I don't suppose there is a bulb in there," Khushi told from the doorstep. She let out a deep sigh and stepped in. Arnav took a step back, aligning his back to the wall. Why was it feeling this crammed? The delicate lingering scent of rainwater merging with the mud drifted back into the shack. Khushi collapsed to the floor, unmindful of getting her clothes dusty. Arnav too sank to the ground, exhaustion weighing him down. "You know it's one thing to get stranded in Europe with Shah Rukh Khan. Another thing to get stranded in Lonavala without cellular devices," Khushi whined. Arnav guffawed, "Jeez! What's with girls and cheesy romance flicks? And what exactly is it that Khan's got? Stammers are cute, agreed. But that cute???" Khushi made a face,"Its not about the stammer. Its just his sexy Adam's apple." Her voice trailed off into the land of 'mustard fields, mandolins and THE cowbell'. "D'uh. Every guy's got one. I have one too," he angled his neck for her inspection. Khushi wanted to giggle at the defensiveness in his tone and the way his head was titled back displaying that sexy cartilage, but she couldn't. Shameless raindrops camped on his neck, one stealthily sliding lower. She felt her stomach do a mighty flip. Without thought, her fingers raised and grazed across his skin in a sift feather-touch. She felt the lump beneath her fingers quake instantly. She heard his gasp dying in the darkness. She was glad that the shack didn't have a bulb. Arnav felt a jolt of electricity thunder through his bloodstream at her touch. If her fingers had just slipped a little lower they would have encountered his betraying pulse. Damn this weather! It was was laden with psychosis which happened to be short circuiting his system. Her fingers slithered back to the edge of her dupatta, twining it around her finger. Something he'd come to associate with Khushi's nervousness. "Are we sleeping the night in this shack?" Khushi splintered the stiffness in the air. "No. Once the rain has done its business we'll figure something out. Till then, let's play Uno," he said cracking the ballad of the crickets.

"You've got Uno cards?" she worded incredulously. "You've got Uno cards with you but you forgot you phone in the bus!" she completed the sentence. "Jenny had asked me to carry the deck in my pocket," he shrugged and pulled out the pack, "My mobile was on charge. I could ask you the same...You left your phone in the bus. Why?" "We were just going for tea," she pointed out, "And I really wasn't exactly expecting a call from Rahul Gandhi or his cronies, so I left it in my bag." "Look, I know you are mad at me. And I totally deserve it. But can you please stop glowering at me. It scares me." That brought a small smile to Khushi's face. She looked on as he shuffled the deck of cards, effortlessly. She liked the rhythm his fingers worked in. There was something incredibly reassuring about his hands. The corded muscles, the brown expanse sprinkled with the lightest layer of hair, the tanned fingers and the strong bones... "Here, cut." He extended the pile towards her. She picked up a stack of cards and handed it back to him. He dealt the cards with a finesse gamblers would kill to possess. Soon enough the draw pile was placed in between the two of them and they had their cards in the hand. He turned the topmost card of the draw pile and placed it in center to start the discard pile. Green. Khushi checked her cards and found the necessary greens. "I'll start," she threw in before he could open his mouth. He nodded and let her begin. *********************************************************************** ************************ "Draw four," Arnav smirked. Khushi pulled four more cards from the draw pile, "You are cheating. I can sense it." She scowled at the five cards left in his fingers. Her cards fanned out in greater number indicating her impending "loser" nameplate. "I'm not," he countered feelingly, "I've been playing this fair and square." "Yeah. Right. And I'm Batman," Khushi tossed a blue card onto the discard pile. She could tell from the muscle jumping in his jaw that he didn't like being called a

"cheater." It maddened him and accentuated his handsomeness. "Uh-uh. Khushi Gupta, you need to really stop being so excruciatingly aware of his good looks. He is handsome. Verdict given. Now concentrate on the game," a small voice within slammed sense into her. "Fine. Hold any five of your cards and drop the rest on the discard pile. We'll play it fair," he snarled. She cheekily did as he had directed and clutched her powerful five cards close to her chest. "What does the winner get?" she happily chimed. "A patch of potatoes," he sourly sizzed. She shadowed her smile and placed her card. He dropped a Wild Card Draw 2. She looked at him, disappointment roaring in her ears. "How many more of those do you have?" she loured. "Enough to make carton box for your potatoes," he winked. "I'm not playing this stupid game," she flattened the discard pile, mixing it with the draw pile and ruining the game. She leaned against the wall, her knees drawn up to her chest. The rain outside thudded against the ground. The fury had amplified with a malefic force. Arnav's thoughts glided to the Jenny and Adi. Hope they had reached Pune. This weather was proving to be really unpredictable. As was Khushi. "Wow. Now I know what sore losers look like," he stretched out his legs, relaxing his muscles. His hair was wet from the soft drizzle, he ran his fingers through it. It was going to get unbearably cold at the night. He mentally made a note: Go home and Youtube "Make Bonfire" and "Guidelines to Hitchhiking" tutorials. "Don't. I might just break a branch of those trees and stab you to death," she stressed. "My death wish," he simpered, "Go ahead and add 'Defeating Arnav at Uno' to your bucket list." She scowled at him and let her head fall onto her knees, tombing it between them. Marooned in Lonavala, yellowed with worry, weather blackened with rain, taking refuge in a shack erected on some patch of obsolete greenery ...trying not to sink into a whirlpool gray. Rich gray eyes. Too many hues, too much of vulnerability. She let the colors fade away from her mindscreen. "You can't go to sleep," Arnav shook her lightly, chasing away the spell of drowsiness.

"I most certainly can," she droned slapping away his hand. She plucked out her dupatta from her neck, rolled it into a ball and placed it on the ground making a temporary pillow. "Good Night Arnav. Don't you dare wake up me till you've figured out your post downpour plans," she closed her eyes and stretched out on the floor across him, her face turned towards the wall.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Khushi closed her eyes instinctively, replaying her entire life in gray-scale. Well, gray ruled her thoughts nowadays. This was it...Her last moment, stranded in Lonavala with Arnav Singh Raizada. The bus came to a screeching halt some feet away from them. Khushi opened her eyes. Oh! They'd live then. Arnav had dragged her out of the shack at the birth of the dawn, insisting that hitchhiking was the only way out. The guy had serious issues. He couldn't stand being imperfect in a single arena, be it even a trivial thing like hitchhiking. He'd been obsessively standing on the road, sticking out his thumb in a funny angle all morning, as cars swished past. Having run out of patience, he'd positioned himself and her in the middle of the road waiting for some vehicle to come speeding and send them flying on a invisible broomstick (She was partial to Firebolt!) to their death. "Raaste se hato," the driver honked loudly. "We want a lift to where ever you are going," Arnav stepped forward, bellowing the words. "Going to the Orphanage," the driver roared back dismissively. "Let's just go," Khushi implored Arnav. She needed to get the grime and grunge off her clothes. They wouldn't be encountering any public transport till 6 in the evening. This bus happened to be a private one, heading for an Orphanage which definitely had water supply. She didn't want to stand at the roadside anymore, wondering which finger should she be sticking out at the travelers. Arnav looked at her unsure for a moment and then gave in. "Chalna hain toh chalo. Raaste pe Saif-Kareena banke pose mat maro," the driver

irately hollered. Khushi scrunched her nose and followed Arnav into the bus. He heaved onto a seat and took in her distasteful expression. "What is it now?" he asked, tiredness seeping into his voice. "Nothing. I just don't like Saif." A matter of world concern! Arnav rolled his eyes. *********************************************************************** *********** The Lonavala orphanage was pretty place. It consisted of blocks of architecture washed in soothing cream paint, enveloped by a biggish lawn fitted with playthings and fenced by flowerbeds. Khushi heard the merry laughter splinter the early morning silence as children ran about on the lawn, chasing each other down slides or kicking balls indiscriminately in any random direction. She lightly drummed her fingers on the windowsill watching the kids. Ms. Haven Griffith, who ran the orphanage, had been very kind. She'd taken one look at the two of them and led Khushi to a spare room where she could freshen up. Arnav had lingered back in her office to make some calls. The room was almost bare, barring a large bed layered with a bouncy mattress, a wooden cabinet on which sat a jug of sparkling water and a mirror that was hung deliberately giving a teasing glimpse of the window where Khushi presently stood. A soft knock sounded on the door causing Khushi to look away from the kids. Ms. Haven stood there, clothes hanging off her arm and the warmest smile cracking on her face. "I thought you might be needing some clothes," she placed the clean jeans and knit sweatshirt on the bed, "They belonged to one of the volunteers who left us last month. She got married." "How many kids do you have here?" Khushi asked, unable to block out the infectious laughter that strung outside the window. "Presently, 67. Aryan will be leaving us next week. A really sweet couple agreed to take him in. They needed sometime to settle all the formalities and paperwork." The fondness she had for the kids was obvious from her Mediterranean blue eyes. Khushi's interest was piqued in this good-natured lady's involvement with an orphanage at Lonavala. Her manners were very prim and Khushi could almost smell

the gracious elegance radiating off her. She reminded her of the illustrations of Jane Austen's novels. Just in Indian wear. Her accent held a lilt of the crisp British. "You are from..." Khushi hesitated. She shouldn't be asking personal questions. It might offend her. But the question seemed to topple out of her mouth. "Glasgow. My parents shifted here two decades ago and me along with them," her smile remained intact as she answered the unfinished question. A subtle shift in the breeze told her that Arnav had joined them in the room. He carelessly yet majestically strode into the room, "Ms. Haven, Thank You." He gave her one of his genuine (toss-me-into-a-coffin-now) smiles. Khushi looked away, shifting her her weight from one foot to the other. "I'm afraid we have only one room so you'll have to take turns." "No worries," Arnav quickly retorted. The relief at finding a place to finally clean up was evident on his face. "I promised to take the children for a picnic today. You both are welcome to join us," she generously offered. "We'll be glad to," Arnav said, too quickly. There was that smile again. Khushi wondered why on earth was he agreeing to go picnicking? Weren't they supposed to be shuttling back to Mumbai? She raised her eyebrows questioningly at him. "Ranjan can't get here before 8 tonight. Sia aunty and Akram uncle have gone to Goa for two days. And my car is parked in NLS. The driver is on leave," he rattled off the main points camping the scenario. "From the looks of it you two won't be getting back to Mumbai before nightfall. I insist you accompany us," Haven looked at Khushi. Khushi magicked a smile on her face and nodded. No, she didn't wanna stay in Lonavala. She wanted to be either in Pune attending the Moot or in Mumbai, sketching away. This was storm centre. Haven patted her arm gently and lithely floated out of the room. "I'll be around," Arnav said thoughtfully, leaving the room, giving her the space she needed. *********************************************************************** ************ Khushi pulled on the navy blue knit sweatshirt and jeans after scrubbing herself free

of all the dirt. She let loose the towel holding her freshly washed hair and began toweling it dry. It smelled of wild flowers. She packed her clothes into a polybag and set it near the cabinet. A maelstrom of shouts hypnotized her into walking towards the window. With the towel still in her hand, rubbing her hair she stepped into the zone of tender new sunshine. Lonavala was a beautiful place, the mist still clung onto the trees outside and naughty sun rays tried to barge their way through them. The sight consumed her heart with its vivid beauty. Go back to Mumbai and sketch#1 : A cute, vulnerable, sleeping Arnav. #2: Lonavala morning. She wished she'd carried her phone along when she'd descended the bus for tea. She wanted to see the snap of Arnav comfortably cuddled up in the bus seat, secure in the silken folds of sleep. "Arnav Bhaiya, KICK" The little shout made her flick her eyes at the scene on the lawn. Her fingers suddenly went liquid and the towel slithered to the floor with a soft plop. Her heart did a tiny twirl and kicked up a new beat. She'd seen Arnav play earlier. He'd been a tornado on the gridiron the first day she'd joined NLS. He moved like lightening and made goals like a coffee machine. But this was different. Very different. There was an elusive restraint in his stance here. His corded muscles were all chained back, handcuffed from releasing any real power. His eyes were narrowed in concentration as he effortlessly kicked the ball to the little fellow who'd shouted his name. Just the right amount of force, neither too much nor too less. The kid would have been seriously hurt if he'd used the former and with the latter he ensured that the kid's pride was assuaged that he'd managed to meet a tough ball head-on. His sensitivity unnerved her. It unsettled her to the core and she forced herself to pick up the fallen towel. The kids swarmed around him badgering him to play more with them. "Arnav Bhaiya please," they chanted skipping around him endearingly. "Bhaiya please," the recently-made-soccerstar came to the forefront. Arnav fell to his knees, settling to his height and ruffling his hair, "Aryan, don't you all wanna go for the picnic?"

"No," they all replied in enthusiasm drenched unison, " We want to stay here and play football with you." Puny girls in ribboned pigtails also danced around him. "But you all have to take bath," he tried reasoning. "We can have that here," one naughty girl piped. Arnav scooped her up in his arms, perching her on strong forearm, "And how is that?" A few of them scattered away as the angel in his arms dimpled at him. The answer came as a forceful blast of water being sprayed on him. Two of the oldest guys in the group held the hosepipe firmly as they splashed cool water on the crowd surrounding him. Khushi looked on, grinning at the tactics of the children. The little girl in his arms giggled tinklingly, "Aise. Dekho hogaya bath!" Most of the crowd went and stood behind the hosepipe holders, evading the rain of cold water in the chilly morning. Arnav let the girl down, who ran and shielded herself. They stood divided into two - an army of kids opening water and a lone Arnav smiling at the adorable brats. Even in this moment of being outsmarted by a bunch of kids, he managed to look downright handsome. The water made the tee cling to his lean frame. And his hair had succumbed to delicious submission, it fell over his forhead knocking off years from the lines of his face and spewing the words "BOYISHLY HANDSOME" into Khushi's head. As if on cue, a blast of gray sought out her eyes. A whole amount of gray crashed into her soul, letting a flush creep up her already warmed cheeks. Was it her or were the tectonic plates underneath churning against each other with a passion? She felt familiarly breathless for the moment and hastily slammed the window shut. Drat! Why was she behaving demented, she chided herself. Minutes later a gush of chocolate strayed in tuning her to his presence. He proceeded to take the towel out of her fingers and pat dry his dripping face. It was a casual gesture and yet a shudder of intimacy zoomed through her. "You slammed that window real hard," he looked at her puzzled. "Accidentally," she stammered, shuffling her feet to avoid looking at him. "Khushi are you ill?" he asked with concern, flipping his hand over and touching her forehead. "I'm fine," she indignantly mouthed, "Just that Lonavala isn't really suiting me."

He grimaced. "Which part of Lonavala have seen that you think you deemed yourself equipped to pass a judgement?" "You are so at home here," she wistfully pointed out. "That's cause I've been to Lonavala before. Trust me I'll show you a side of Lonavala that'll make you chew your words jurassic-park style." The promise in his eyes undid her tension. She felt her muscles relaxing at his easy demeanor. "Can't say am not hungry. I'm looking forward to chewing those words," she grinned. *********************************************************************** ************* "I really hope this is okay with you," Haven handed her the keys. "I'm truly sorry. If the bus hadn't been this jampacked am sure the two of you could have come along." She looked rather apologetic. "That's okay Ms. Haven. You had prior plans. We just dropped here out of nowhere. You've already been immensely kind. Thank you for everything. And this," she shook the keys Haven had placed into her palm, "is really thoughtful of you. Thank You so very much." "I really hope you enjoy. The kids are gonna miss Arnav," she gave a small smile. Khushi could see that the woman was really upset about not being able to accommodate the two of them in the picnic bus. "It really is okay," Khushi reassured her with a smile. She nodded her head with doubt and stepped into the bus. The children stuck their head out and cheered loudly as the bus engine roared to life. They waved wildly at her as the bus began moving, leaving behind a cloud of dust. She turned around and sucked in a lungful of air. The bike looked daunting, all black and metal. She'd never been on a bike with anyone else other than her brother. They'd made it their business in Nainital to go speeding down to streets every evening. "Sibling-O-Clock" they'd called it. This would be the first time she'd be on a bike with a male who wasn't her brother. Her stomach clamped tightly at the thought. Speaking of which, where was Arnav? What in the nine hells was taking Arnav this long? He'd been locked away in that room for nearly an hour. Before her thought completed, he materialized before her.

"Where is the bus?" he frowned. Khushi took some time to process the question. God help her if he didn't stop looking this good all the time! He was dressed in a grey and white striped tee and snug fit jeans. The clothes belonged to a volunteer Khushi knew, but this guy owned every piece of cloth that touched his body. "They had problem accommodating us. Ms. Haven gave me the keys to this instead," she jerked her head towards the bike at her side. Arnav looked lost for a second. He stared hard at the vehicle, his voice capturing a faraway tone," We are on our own?" Did he sound a bit sad? "I thought that makes your I'll-show-you-Lonavala's-magic easier," she leveled. "It does," he shrugged nonchalantly, "Just that I'd been looking forward to having a food fight with those little fellows." Khushi's heart thawed into the largest ocean of mush. She was itching to pull him into her arms and pat his sadness away. "Shall we?" she derailed her thoughts and handed him the keys. He clasped them efficiently and slipped metal into the metallic slit on the vehicle. The purr of the engine made Khushi acutely aware of the tension clawing at her insides. She tentatively lifted a leg and placed it on the other side, positioning herself behind him. This wasn't such a good idea afterall. She was a casket of nerves waiting to tumble over. She took in a deep breath of the clean air and willed herself to fist her hands at her sides. She wouldn't be touching those shoulders unnecessarily. She strapped the picnic basket courtesy Ms. Haven behind her to the bike. "Two bipeds on the motor vehicle ,Yo Ho Yo Ho and what a lot of fun" Under his fingers the bike was intoxicated with speed. They flew down the roads like Hades was galloping in their wake. Khushi felt her balance shake and hurriedly held onto Arnav's shoulder. "That's better," Arnav smirked, "I was wondering when you were going to do that." She heard the tamed laughter in his voice and risked removing her hands. He accelerated causing her fall against him, anchoring onto him again for support. Without a word this time, he pulled her hand around his waist and gently said, "Hold. I don't want you collapsing from the bike." This time she held. She could feel his flat abdomen beneath her fingers. The fabric felt like an irritant against her fingertips. She tried to fight the sensations overwhelming her. The wind playfully grazed against her cheeks, forcing strands out of her severe ponytail. Adrenaline was hitting beyond the scale's maximum limit. She closed her eyes and waited for the feeling to fade out.

It didn't. She was attracted to him. There, she'd said to herself. He was good-looking, had all the smart-quips, was sensitive in a disarmingly subtle way. In contrast she was strictly average in looks, could sketch and lose in Uno. She stood no chance. For all she knew, he considered her a bullfrog who happened to be his friend. She held onto him tighter. *********************************************************************** **************** They parked the bike at I.N.S Shivaji base and started the climb by foot to the cliff top. Khushi consciously tucked away the tramp fringes back into place. He was holding the picnic basket, his features ablaze with excitement. "Instant Reaction?" he asked slyly to chip in some banter into the silence. Khushi nodded, warning herself not to give the reactions all that instantly. This guy happened to conquer very neat 'A's in the tests. Throw in the fact that they were studying law and were supposed to be studying about germs called truth under naked eye. Toss aside the microscope. Replying without thinking meant revealing a part of herself to him. "Paints" ("Steer clear" her mind spat.) "Cubism," she gave him the sweetest smile she could muster. "Army" "Angry Birds" "Wolverine" "Nail paint" He shot her a thoroughly amused look as they continued dragging themselves uphill. Her legs ached already but she trashed the idea of whining out loud. She didn't wanna diffuse his mood with her complaints. "Donald Duck" "Semi-nude"

She struggled to keep her face straight but a giggle escaped through her pursed lips. She could see Arnav grinning through the corner of her eyes. "Wind" "Pollination" "Feet" "Hobbits" "Crystal Balls" "Shooting stars" "Heights" "Heathcliff" Ignorance glistened in those gray winged beauties. Ofcourse, he wouldn't know about I'll-always-haunt-you-Heathcliff from the female-famous Wuthering Heights. "He is the male protagonist of Wuthering Heights authored by Emily Bronte. The ultimate romantic anti-hero ever. His love was a preamble to untold destruction. And he had a hobby of poking into other's graves," Khushi tried summarizing the totality that was Heathcliff into four sentences. Arnav rolled his eyes, heavily. The man sounded absolutely retarded. But how a female mind worked...Go figure! "Handsome" "You" To her utter mortification the word echoed through the tranquility of the valley. They'd finally reached clifftop and Arnav stood facing her with astonishment plastered across his countenance. "What did you say?" he gaped at her. "Too," she quickly improvised, "I said Heathcliff is handsome TOO" "Oh!" he mumbled to himself, "I thought I heard something else." Khushi squared her shoulders, gearing up for a verbal clash if he refused to believe

her. It wasn't needed. He quickly forgot about the game, landed the picnic basket on the ground ruthlessly and walked over to the edge of the cliff. The strong chunk of wind dashed around his frame, rocking him precariously near the jagged edge. Her breath still caught in some corner of her windpipe, she stared as he spread out his arms tantalizing even the breeze to wrap around him. So this was the taste when you had to chew your words. The place was ethereal with a merciless wind wreathing around them, orchestrating an awe at the patchwork of greenery that lay our before them. Her hair lashed out on her face submerging her in the scent of the wild flowers shampoo. He turned back and signaled her to join him. Haltingly, she walked upto where he stood crunching on the view that greeted her. "This place is called Tiger's leap," he supplied, "It has an altitude of nearly 650 m. Its breathtakingly beautiful," he looked longingly at the valley below. Khushi's head whirled in dizziness taking in the drop from the cliff. She took a step back. "It's also an echo point," he babbled on, "See." He cupped his palms around his mouth, leaving an outlet for the sound to sneak out and screamed "Arnav" into the emptiness. Sequentially fading echoes of "Arnav" greeted them. "Now your turn," he nudged her. She swallowed hard trying to clot out the image of the valley below and aped him shouting, "Bruce Banner" into the air. The resounds of "Bruce Banner" engulfed them. "Why didn't you do your name?" he questioned her, a smile cradling in his gray goblets. "Am not the self-obsessed one here," she quipped. Her eyes caught sight of the perilous vale below and another bout of dizziness assaulted her. "Wait, I'll do it for you." He took what she'd inwardly termed the echo-aasana let the name "Khushi" ricochet into the mirroring cliffs. And then it happened. Her knees buckled completely, throwing her forward, right into the open embrace of the parlous rocks below. This time he genuinely yelled in horror, "KHUSHI..." And the echoes unflinchingly regurgitated back

chapter fifteen

"Khushi" the scream was felled with pure horror as he edged forward to grabe at her falling frame.some how his reflexes slowed down and he grabed air instead. panic exploded in his chest as he saw her face

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Khushi, Adi and Jenny stood patiently in the corridor. The loud thundering of cheers rose up filling the limited space in NLS with contagious happiness. Their first semester was tackled! The past few months had been a blur of hectic alarms, notes, night studies and coffee. Khushi pulled at the U-rim of her formal shirt as she tried to summarize the time in NLS post the "Under the Lonavala-n sun" episode. Adi and Jenny had replaced Arnav and her as the spokespersons at the Moot. And they'd done pretty well. The SWO had summoned Arnav and her to her office to explain what exactly they'd been doing in Lonavala when they were supposed to be representing NLS, Mumbai at Moot. After hearing them out and after confirming with the Cultural Secretary, Shyam Jha she'd let them go with a sweet advise.
"Go and peel potatoes Khushi if you ain't interested in Legal Studies. And Arnav Singh Raizada go home and preach anarchism if you think punctuality is beneath you."

Those words had acted as a trigger and fueled the both of them when the semester dates had been announced. "Has he discovered the wardrobe to Narnia in there?" Jenny drily muttered. "He doesn't submit his answer booklet till the final bell rings," Adi leaned against the wall comfortably. On cue the bell chimed loud and clear, loosening the remnants of zombified students in the exam hall. Arnav appeared at the doorway, a smirk buzzing around his lips. "Answered the third question?" he winked at her. Khushi nodded. Arnav had a knack of making complexities look like scrambled eggs. If she decently scraped a pass, she'd add Arnav's photo at her shrine. He'd been really patient and generous, taking out time to explain her various tricky concepts and citing related cases to help her understand. "Enough about exams already," Jenny wailed as she dug through her bag for something. She plucked out her camera and swung it into their faces, "We are gonna

behave like civil students and take a click" "What for?" Adi drawled. "Cause we don't have one in formals," she chirped matter-of-factly. She didn't wait for more objections to skid out as she stuffed the device into a passerby's hand and rushed to stand next to Adi. "I look like a peahen," Khushi muttered under her breath. She looked at Arnav through the corner of her eyes. He was dressed in college uniform- starched white shirt and black pants. His stubble was two shades darker than normal and yet it didn't detract anything from his aura. Infact he looked more ruggedly handsome than was possible. "You don't," he quietly muttered back. It took some seconds for Khushi to realize that he'd replied to her murmured comment. His gray eyes flashed into hers, earnestly backing-up his reply. "You don't," he muttered again, "You look beautiful." Khushi felt her bones liquefy at the angle called her knees. A faint breathlessness eroded her system causing her to lean back against him. His hands came up, clasping her upper arm, supporting her gently. The flash went off bringing her back to planetNOW! Jenny went and collected the camera, thanking the person. "Are you okay?" he asked, worry scrunching up the expanse of his forehead. "Just tired," she truthfully answered, forcing her legs to bear her weight again. "Maa has a buffet ready for you," Adi beamingly reminded, "You can't give her that excuse." Khushi groaned. She was being nagged by this edgy impulse to stretch out on the hard tile of the corridor and go to sleep. Fatigue tore at her senses. She didn't think it'd be good manners to doze into a bowl of salad. "What plans for tonight?" Arnav threw an easy arm around Adi, flaunting their friendship to all the bunches in the corridor. "And why does it seem like we are being excluded," Jenny scowled at them. "Because you are," Arnav pointed out casually, "We don't want females tagging along with us tonight. We'll be fine without the hassle." "There couldn't have been a more blatant display of what a jerk you are," Jenny hissed ferociously.

"Fuss, fret, stamp your foot, scream blue murder but we ain't changing our plans," Arnav superciliously remarked. Khushi was in no mood to argue though she knew Jenny was expecting her to speak up. "Fine. We girls too have plans then," Jenny threw at them. "Good for you," Arnav ruffled her hair patronizingly. Jenny tossed her hair back, thinned her lips to a vindictive line and dragged Khushi away. ******************************************************************* Arnav rapped his knuckles on the teakwood door leading to Adi's room. He pushed it open gently and went inside, his fingers still glued to the movie tickets he'd finally managed to get. Adi was lazily sprawled out on the beanbag, his hand running through his gelled hair in a gesture of distraught. He sat up upon seeing Arnav, agitation weighing down his lips. "Jenny marched into the house an hour ago, stuffed Khushi into some ridiculous clothes and together they stomped out," Adi narrated away, lightly tapping on the leather of the beanbag. Arnav felt all his excitement drain out as each word left Adi's mouth. He hadn't been expecting Jenny to go through with her impulsive plan. "Dude, I think we got theatrically carried away in the morning," Adi relented. "Did they tell you where they planned to go?" "No. Jenny acted like I was straight out of the The Exorcist." Arnav couldn't believe this was happening. He'd meticulously planned the whole evening out. They'd go to the movies and he'd even booked a table for four at the restaurant for dinner. He'd goaded Jenny in the morning cause they'd planned to surprise the girls. But this was a disaster. He pulled out his phone and dialled Jenny. The rings resounded in his ear and he could hazard a guess that she wasn't taking his call deliberately. His anger piped higher and he hit the re-dial. This time she picked up. "Where are the two of you?" Arnav snappishly demanded. "Asgard. Playing hammer-hammer with Thor," she cheekily replied.

"Jenny, quit it. Where are you?" Arnav tried in vain to contain his anger. Jenny could hear the timbre of rage twanging his voice. She gave him the name of the ice-cream parlor they were at. "Stay there," he said tightly, "We'll be there in half an hour." *********************************************************************** ** "Stay there. We'll be there in half an hour," Jenny mimicked the high-handed order. Khushi giggled at the accurate imitation. She hollowed out the a central area of the coffee ice-cream heap. It tasted heaven and strip of sinful hell. She'd spent the whole afternoon catching up on her much-needed sleep. Around four, Jenny had glided into her room and taken over. Khushi felt a rush of uneasy embarrassment sweep her away as she glanced at her bare thighs. She'd protested when Jenny's taken out a pair of hotpants and tossed it on her bed. But Jenny had been in no mood to listen. She'd insisted that they dress alike for tonight's adventures. Khushi checked out her reflection on the hazy tinted glass of the ice-cream parlor. A white tank top with a navy blue and white checkered shirt shrugged on and tied into a knot at the tails. The denim hot pants ended midway to her knees revealing the creamy skin stretched across her long legs. Her feet were tombed in efficient sneakers that completed the chic touch. Khushi felt her soft hair nuzzling the nape of her neck and wished she'd brought along one of her clips. Jenny was sitting next to her, identically dressed, enjoying her choco with double mint scoop. She looked fiercely determined to enjoy the evening, just to spite the guys. Khushi sighed feeling like a twelve year old all over again. "You know we are looking like last-shot-slow-mo-run-and-hug-sisters," Jenny giggled catching their reflection. "Khushi and Jenny," an unfamiliar voice presented itself at their table. Khushi looked up to see Shyam Jha staring at her with a slightly devilish grin. Jenny flicked her eyes at him, spitting fire as she firmly announced, "Khushi I think we should leave." "Now now Miss Raizada, no need to get all despotic and order your friends about. I was just passing and thought I'll ask how did the semester exams go," his eyes skated back to Khushi, the question directed solely towards her. Khushi cleared her throat consciously, "Well. They went well." She was aware that Shyam Jha had been responsible for leaving them stranded at Lonavala. From what Adi had told her, he carried some sort of grudge against the

Raizadas. Khushi didn't particularly like him but she knew that shooing him away would be immeasurably rude. Shyam settled into the empty chair, totally ignoring the caustic rejoinder Jenny thorned him with. "So Khushi," he began, facing her and making Khushi squirm involuntarily under his steadfast gaze, "Where do you hail from?" "Mussoorie," Khushi answered quietly. He was a senior holding a goddamned post. It would do no good to antagonize him. Jenny angrily squeezed Khushi's hand under the table, transducing the impulse from her heart to Khushi's: Get this ******* off our table. The sudden motion caused Khushi to jerk, toppling her ice-cream mound from her spoon onto her thigh. Shyam reacted instantly, grabbing a tissue and trying to get the stickiness off her skin. Khushi felt revulsion grab at her, as she tried to take the tissue from his hands, "I can manage," she stammered. He didn't seem to hear her and was busy taking another tissue to sponge off the the remaining mess. That was how Arnav saw them. Shyam bending over, a tissue in his hands, wiping something invisible off Khushi's skin. And he saw more. He saw his fingertips graze against her skin and her inconspicuous shudder. Anger galloped away on his pulse, riding past the fences of normal cool-headedness. Adi seemed to sense the subtle darkening of his mood as he took in the scene. "I was under the impression that Khushi wasn't handicapped," Arnav laconically remarked. Khushi looked up to see those gray eyes embrangled in anger and blame. His jaw was clenched tightly accentuating its sharp contour. "Aah! Obeisance, Your Mighty-cavalierness," Shyam mockingly stood up. Khushi felt a tide uneasiness lash out at her. The undercurrent of a nasty grudge malodorously filled the air. "You didn't blow the royal trumpet upon my arrival, you peanut herald," Arnav snidely retorted. Khushi saw the color singeing Shyam's cheeks at the comment. War horns and elephant cries sounded in the air. "If you'll excuse us, Mr. Jha. We have plans for tonight and we can't stand here all night long waiting for you to come up with a comeback," Arnav caught hold of Khushi's wrist and pulled her away from the table. Jenny discerningly left the table and went to stand next to Adi.

They left the parlor, Khushi's wirst still secured in Arnav's severe grasp. ********************************************************************* He didn't need to voice the question aloud. Khushi could see the concern bubbling in his eyes. "I'm fine," she smiled reassuringly. She shouldn't have worn such outrageous clothes, she thought glumly. "Don't beat yourself up," Arnav astutely read her thoughts, "You've every right to wear what you want. But if aren't feeling comfortable we can go shop something for you. We've got forty five minutes before the movie begins and there's a boutique just across the road." Khushi looked up at him gratefully. They were standing in line to pick up the nachos while Adi and Jenny had gone to get them something to drink. Arnav quickly texted Adi, relaying the information. They stood at the roadside waiting for the heavy influx of cars to recede or maybe slow down their impossibly fast pace. Khushi felt a tender muzzy feeling, standing under the wrath of starlight across a road coming to life, with a devastatingly handsome guy by her side. The aqua blue tee almost breathed against his skin and the wafting chocolate scent baited her to her doom. She was torturingly aware of the moment when he twined his fingers through hers and walked through the unending race of vehicles. She let herself be led across the road, her heart collapsing with an impact against her ribcage. The flash of headlights illumined the gray eyes that were ensuring her safety by tucking her to a side, ready to take on any danger that threatened them on the road. Khushi knew then; she was in love. In the middle of the road swarming with cars, Arnav by her side, love dawned in her heart. Raw and whole. The feeling destroyed the tranquility in every fibre of her body. It perched on her heart, singing the sweetest song of existence as Khushi reached the other side of the road. The boutique sat in lavish solitude in front of them. Arnav stepped forward, pushing the glass door open for Khushi to step in. Rows of neatly tailored clothes, vivid colors and classy designs were hung immaculately. Khushi felt a strangeness skitter down her spine as she felt the onslaught of colors at this vulnerable moment. Colors tainted memories. She couldn't let love be a hue-filled affair. She didn't dare to associate life with rosy pink or deep red.

"Like anything?" Arnav's asked, oblivious to the tempest tramping her heart. He picked out a clove pink kameez and held it before her to assess how it looked. "I'll take it," Khushi said instinctually. If he was surprised, he hid it well. He didn't bother to re-confirm if she was sure. He walked to the counter and laid it under the nose of the bespectacled lady. She said a figure that had Khushi feeling her stomach clamp. She didn't have that sort of money. She chided herself tardily, this was a designer boutique. It would ofcourse be expensive and suffocatingly so. She looked on with horror as Arnav removed a card and handed it over. "No. We can take something else," she spoke up. She couldn't let anyone spend that much on her. It taunted her code of values. "Khushi," Arnav unflinchingly verbalized, "You liked that one. We'll take it." "I can't let you pay in figures of that sort for me," she complained, "It just doesn't feel right." "We are friends," he said it like a verdict. Khushi wasn't convinced. Recapitulating her school days she couldn't find a single instance when she'd shared lunch, when she'd accepted a return gift at a birthday party, when she'd let a friend pay for her coffee. And yet today she was standing like a useless gunny sack while someone was smothering her with their friendship. "Arnav. No" she said the words solidly. "My first genie favour," he outmaneuvered her, "I want to buy you this dress. You can't refuse." The sinking sensation Khushi felt clashed heavily with the flashes of his kiss. Her heart might burst any moment now. She picked up the salwar set from the counter and walked to the trial room, still in a daze. Minutes later she emerged wearing the simple yet elegant suit. It fit her perfectly and she fell in love for the second time today; this time with the dupatta. It was plume soft and laced with silver, gathered at her neck in delicate beauty. Arnav felt pulseless for one moment of eternity. Blood pounded in his ears and he could hear the thud of his heart as Khushi walked towards him. She looked like an angel, fresh from heaven. He trained his facial muscles to an odd blankness. They were friends and he didn't want to mess with that index. Things were just perfect as they were. She did a little twirl in front of him, "Okay?" She was swearing within, if he said

'DUDE, you look great' she'd break his arrogant nose. He nodded. He didn't trust himself to offer compliments without looking like some lascivious pirate straight out of a ship-wreck. Mission 'Nose-smash.0 aborted. Khushi felt a tad bit upset that he hadn't complimented her. She felt pretty for the first time in life, ever. Khushi stuffed the vest, shirt and hotpants into her bag as Arnav collected the bill and took back his card. Together, they crossed back the road.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
He untied the lace of his shoes, kicked them off and stepped onto the fine golden toned sand. The feathery friction against his soles wrapped him in a consuming comfort. He ran his hand through his wind-kissed hair, letting the rough calluses brush against the fineness of his hair. Perfectly smoothed pebbles rubbed against his feet as he walked unto the sundown, banked by the shore. The piquant breeze persuaded the salty smell of the sea to thaw the atmosphere, tinting it with vestiges of magic. His heart felt unbearably heavy as he walked along the neat line of wet sand, deserted by the stale tide of waves. The gossamer textured light escaping the small, arched opening of the lighthouse light up a strip of the seaside. The rock-piled tower stood courageously facing the fogged sea, daring the shoals to strive and meet the ships in its presence. Arnav lapped up the undaunting stance; the gentle demeanour of the glow radiating off it, a stark contrast. His eyes traced the descent of the beacon, oh-so-secretly pining away for the delicate form that sat bunched under its gaze. His heartbeat quickened a notch. He left imprints on the sands, caked by pressure as he took quick steps. She sat bent over the damp slate, her neat finger embedded in the cosy depths of the moist layer. Her eyes were shone brightly, pearlescent under the attention of the sturdy blaze. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, leaving her silken nape to the ravishment of the wind. Her lone finger moved, embedding a whispered secret into its folds. It didn't last long enough. The next string of waves, lashed against the bank, spraying on her drops of delight and snatching away the covert desire. She looked up then, meeting his eyes with her own honey-dripping ones. A swirl of passion lay in the cove; patiently awaiting him. He bent down and rolled the rim of his jeans, repeating the same with the sleeves of his white shirt. Slowly, he sat down next to her. Silence thudding between them, he took her fingers in his, lacing them together. A completeness filled his soul, tugging at the chains that had shackled him for so long. Her hand bequeathed him the perfection he craved. He brought it to his lips, kissing each tender finger, letting his lips savor the fragility that was her. Trapped by the longing in his heart he reached forward and cupped her fine bones

jaw, his gray stare shadowed in her eyes. Lightly, he brushed his lips across hers. Sheer velvet. A gnawing temptation unfurling chaos, setting aflame his lungs. He deepened the kiss, already knowing that she'd taste of painful sweetness with a dash of vanilla. She did. A growing ache settled into him, a yearning he couldn't eclipse. He needed her. He needed... Khushi. A cold sweat drenched Arnav as he shot out of his bed with a gasp, knocking over the pillow in the process. He bent down the retrieve the mass of cotton, trying to forget how vivid the dream had been. His breathing came in spurts and skin felt greasy. He increased the conditioning before uncapping the bottle placed at his bedstand. It was sweltering hot and he longed for a cool seabreeze ironically. The dream had been ridiculous. He rolled his eyes remembering the lucidly poetic dimension to the it. A lighthouse, waves and Khushi! He could as well as been dreaming about Mary Poppins. D'uh. A good many slangs rose to his head. He took a large swig of water, hoping that her taste dissolved in it. "Vanilla" he snorted. "But she does taste like mint and tinge of vanilla," a snide voice reminded him of the kiss they'd shared outside the Mehra Mansion. He authoritatively muted the voice. Dimming the lights again, he buried his head under the pillow making a makeshift shield against unwanted thoughts. No more pure satin and bottled sunshine dreams. *********************************************************************** ******* She was going to wake up any moment now and then have a good laught over it. Only, she didn't. Khushi clutched at the phone in her hand in a death grip, her eyes widening and horror intensifying with every word her Baba spoke. "Baba, I don't want to marry now," she wailed into the receiver. She'd never been an outspoken kid. As a child she'd faked her love for the color green cause her Baba thought she looked pretty in it. Personally, she'd felt like a thicket of spinach rolling around. As an adult, she was equally hopeless, pursuing legal studies when in actuality she saw herself cartooning away to life's finest moment. It was sad but Khushi didn't want to upset her Baba. He meant the world to her. "Am not asking you to marry now beta," his soothing voice glided through the phone, "I just want you to see this guy. We can get you engaged. The rest can be later."

Khushi heard the unnerving finality to his tone. Her Baba's mind was made up and nothing she did or didn't would make him relent. A sharp pain shot through her heart. Flashes of a tender caress, a reassuring kiss and the warmest hug filled her mind. A mother would have been nice to diffuse the situation. But Khushi no longer had one... "I'll only see him Baba. Am not promising to say 'yes'," Khushi carefully verbalized. The chuckle at the other end of the phone made her heart sink profoundly. He would be expecting the answer in positive. "His name is Shyam Jha and he studies at NLS too," the words were thrown casually enough. Khushi's felt herself shaking all over, her heart imminent on a messy explosion. If this was a nightmare she really needed to wake up. NOW. And if it was reality, she needed to jump off the terrace. ALSO NOW. "Kusum aunty had suggested the alliance. He will be happy to take you to the society club masquerade next week," her Baba continued. "Do you know him beta?" he was gently asking. Khushi whimpered in negative trying to block out all those malice-dripping stares he gave Arnav. She tried to forget how her skin had crawled under his touch. Love sure was a Pandora's Box. Only last night she'd been tossing and turning on her bed, her phone had been opened to the click of Arnav sleeping on that bus, safely plastered near her heart and she'd been floating on the highest cloud available. Today, she was spiraling down towards to abode of Hades with a speed that surpassed light. And she didn't even have glorious wings to escape into flight. "Wow, that even rhymed!" she sourly registered. The click and staccato beeps told her that Baba had hung up. Now she had a masquerade to attend with a rather-lewd-senior as her date who also sported a 'fiance' tag on standby . Double Whammy, uh-uh? She had this pressing urge to complain of "tummy ache" but she knew her Baba would only fix another day. She'd rather get over this as fast as she be allowed. Note: She needed to get a voodoo doll of Kusum aunty. *********************************************************************** Adi's regularly timed worried glances made Khushi fiddle with the remote unconsciously. Jenny and she were sitting tucked under a comforter, leaning against the plush sofa with the home theatre booming around them. She'd informed him about the "wormy problem" as she'd nicknamed it, earlier this morning. Adi had been the very helpful, drawing up various plans of action. He'd even offered to ask Akram uncle to have a little chat with her Baba. Khushi was tempted but she resisted cause she'd rather solve her dilemma without involving the elders.

Jenny's crystal laughter rang through the darkened room. They'd been watching Friends, the perfect idea of de-stressing according to Jenny. Arnav had offered to go get them coke cans from the fridge. Khushi was waiting for him to reappear so that she could break the news to them together. "So you attending the masquerade?" Jenny question was directed at Khushi though her eyes kept fluttering back to the beanbag Adi was perched on. Khushi almost smiled, forgetting the whiplash destiny had bestowed upon her. "Are you going to ask her out or not?" Khushi cheekily blurted out. Adi's head snapped up, her words pouncing for a reaction. He nervously smiled, running his hand through his hair. A guy trait, she observed. Arnav did it too. "So," he paused taking an audible gulp of air, his eyes latching onto Jenny in a gaze so intense that Khushi wanted to duck her head under the quilt, "Will you go with me?" Khushi saw the blush creeping up Jenny's cheeks and giggled. God! These two were so cute. "About time," Arnav's dry voice sprung out of the shadows. He had the chilled cans in his hand and lazy grin that sent Khushi's heart hammering. Why did her life have to be so twisted? "You don't mind?" Adi looked at his best buddy nervously. "You kidding me?" Arnav raised his eyebrow with effect, "Nothing could make me happier. I trust you more than I trust myself," he ended feelingly. Jenny, who'd been holding her breath, let it out on a laugh. "Wow. You almost sound nice me to me," she pointed out. Arnav shrugged and grinned carelessly at his little sister. His love was evident despite of all the banter that clouded it. She hated smudging the cheerfulness concentrating the atmosphere, but she saw no other way. Jenny was going to the masquerade and by default Arnav would be there too. It wouldn't be pleasant if they caught her huddled with Shyam in a corner without prior notification. He seemed to particularly hate them and she knew that they reciprocated it in full measure. "I'll be going with Shyam," she said flatly. There was an unmistakable stiffening in Jenny's shoulders, a sagging defeat on Adi's face and a dangerous narrowing in a pair of gray eyes in the periphery. She avoided looking at him, focusing on Jenny in stead. "Holy crapping crap!!! Why would you do that?" Jenny jabbed a finger into her upper arm. Khushi flinched under the masks of shock, she strainedly stared at the home theater screen and answered, "Cause Baba thinks that I should get engaged to him." "I see."

The words were spoken by the person she was studiously ignoring, with every ounce of passivity possible on the planet. Like one of those blasted anchors on a commercial promoting a good-for-nothing brand. Smithereens of her heart crept up her throat sponging off the words that had been forming. "Calm down. I only have to see him. I can tell Baba that he has buckteeth and I refuse to marry him," Khushi dragged herself back to Jenny, patting her. Jenny seemed to pipe down a bit but her expression remained fierce as she said, "And smelly breath, a stretchy double chin and paunch that precedes him 30 seconds before her enters any room." "But I can't wriggle out of this one," Khushi explained. She didn't need to tell them that nothing she said about Shyam would deter her Baba once he'd rolled the dice. "That leaves Arnav without a date," Jenny scowled. "Easy there. I've got football practice scheduled that evening. I guess you'll be missing it," he turned to Adi working up a smile. "Pays to be pals with the captain right?" Jenny winked. Khushi slumped against the sofa heavily, trying to assimilate Chandler's latest quip. Great! So she'd be trying to avoid footsie with Shyam while Mr. Hotshot striker would be getting all sweaty and sexy on the field. What a consolation!

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The deep red simmered against her skin like fluid heat. Khushi shifted restlessly aware of Shyam's appreciative once-over. Jenny had twisted her hair into a stylish knot, leaving the fringes to skim the sides of her face. The shoulder-less gown fell to cheerful submission at her ankles, emphasizing the narrowness of her waist before the breath-snatching flare. "Lets go over this again," Adi's dry voice interrupted Jenny as they stood near the bar, one eye on Khushi and the all other organs on each other, "Why does she have to look stunning? I thought the idea was to turn him down flat." Jenny shot him an exasperated look, "Cause I want that ****** to know that some things as beautiful and ethereal"-she jerked her head indicating Khushi- "as her are beyond his reach." Adi shook his head sadly. "Women, Go figure!" He adjusted his mask. The club was awash with sounds of clinking glasses. Khushi followed Shyam as he led her to a cubicle housing a table with two chairs. The white table cloth thrashed the

luxurious brown of the authentic Italian wood. Atop it sat a porcelain vase with a single long stemmed rose. The setting was cosy enough to hold hands.The glass roof of the club gave them a view of stars sprayed above. The ticket to the masquerade was worth every single expensive buck they'd paid. Khushi had felt vastly better when Adi had informed her that the money was to be used on an oldage home. A society venture it was, to better the lives of the forsaken elderly. Khushi approved. Shyam pulled out her chair waiting for her to sink in. Khushi complied, wringing her hands together to contain her panic. She could see Adi and Jenny standing near the well equipped bar; the rescuers' stance. "So," he cleared his throat audibly, "We meet again." Khushi let her eyes slide back to the man sitting opposite her. His mask shrouded the expression in his eyes but the upward tilt of his lips revealed to Khushi that he was mighty happy that he'd cornered her. "How do you know Kusum aunty?" The question was loaded with an accusatory sting. He chuckled, a raspy menacing chuckle, "She's a family friend. When I mentioned that I am completing from NLS, she mentioned you. And before I could blink she'd already made that call to your father." Khushi didn't believe him. Baba wasn't one to easily get swayed. Kusum aunty must have done some real heavy convincing. Shyam might have even paid her to do it. "I'm not ready for it," Khushi baldly pointed out. "I can wait. This will be just an engagement. I'll be joining Mumbai's top law firm next month. After you are done with your course we can get married." The waiter interrupted them with drinks. Khushi stared extra hard into her glass containing the orange juice. Jane Austen had gotten it wrong. Women weren't the only species who jumped to marriage and children within seconds. She looked up and her eyes met Adi's who was now swaying with Jenny on the dance floor to soft music. She sent him reassuring telepathic signals and gathered her voice. "I don't think so." The voice felt like an auditory projection for a moment. Khushi heard herself over the lilting tunes flooding the club, "I don't think so," she added in a firmer tone. The heel of his palm flattened against the table while he leaned backward waiting for her to explain some more. "I know Baba wants this. But I don't. Its not you," she added hurriedly trying to channelize the blame home, "Its just that am not the one for you. You are a top notch

Law student. I'm pretty average. You've got a clean record. I've frequented the SWO more than I want to remember." "I'd put all that down to hanging with the wrong crowd," he meaningfully countered. "Those are my friends you're talking about," she sharply retorted. She wanted to stand up and declare [tiara on head,sceptre in hand] that she was in love with Arnav Singh Raizada and she wouldn't settle for anyone else. She didn't. It was the sensible thing. Shyam wouldn't take lightly to being jilted for the likes of a Raizada. He might even put more pressure into the alliance. If she could honey-talk him into burning the idea it would suit her just fine. "Look, I just don't want to be tied down right now. Its suffocating," she amended brilliantly, "Getting engaged is a big deal." "I can wait," he crossed his ankles beneath the table, his eyes scorching her bare shoulders. Khushi lifted the orange juice to her lips blotting out the stare. ******************************************************************** Arnav looked at the name of the club blinking in neon lights. A steadily heightening sense of foreboding told him that he should just retrace his steps, sit down with Max Payne and waste the night away. He looked at the excited girl at his side, the tickets sitting between his fingers and recalled Raschid's withered face. He got the tickets stamped by the guards and his wrist stamped too. "Arnav Bhaiya, Thank you so much," the girl at his side feelingly spluttered once they were inside. He pressed the mask closer to his face. Raschid was on the team; their best mid-fielder. He'd handed the tickets over to Arnav imploring that he take his sister to the masqerade cause he wouldn't be able to make it. Arnav knew nineteen year old Mehak to be a sweet kid, who always cheered their team and never missed a match. He'd agreed to do Raschid a favor. He had a large heart and was innately helpful. "No kidding," his conscience snorted. "Just keep close to friends okay," Arnav concernedly advised, "Raschid will be here at sharp 8 to pick you up." Mehak nodded her head in a blur, dashed across the floor, crashing into a group who screeched hallelujah in chick-ese. Arnav spotted Jenny and Adi on the dance floor. A radiant smile lighted up her pretty face and his best friend's grin told him the remnant of the tale. They definitely made the best pair with their lithe movements and envious coordination. He followed Adi's gaze, his eyes colliding with the figure of Khushi hunched over a table, sitting across a man who could only be crawly Shyam. On cue she looked up, snatching away any chance he had of turning away.

God! The strength of the desire burning through him almost made him stagger. Frustration followed soon after. He ran his hand through his rumpled hair trying to stem the surge of want that threatened to detain him in 'caveman' status. Expression taut, he jerked his head in a "Hi" letting her know he was there. She gave a small smile. He turned away with quick steps approaching the Adi. "Hey," he punched his friend lightly on the shoulder. Somehow a large chunk of his brain was still floating around the girl dressed in flames. He tried to zap it back into his bony cranium but failed. "You came," Jenny gushed dimpling at her brother. "Raschid wanted me to get Mehak. He had to be elsewhere," he shrugged hoping that they didn't make a big thing outta this. Could they feel the effects of his inflamed bloodstream? Was it written all over his face? "Great. All clear till now," Adi's eyes slunk back to the observe the duo in the cubicle. Arnav turned around to see Shyam pull out the rose from the vase and offer it to Khushi. She hesitated for a second before taking it from him. A scowl tumbled off his lips. "Quite cosy," he muttered under his breath. "She's panicking," Jenny defended, "Any moment now she's gonna tell him to drop his marriage feathers and buzz off." "Has it ever struck you that maybe she likes him? Just cause we dislike him, we can't pressure her to feel the same," Arnav reasoned. "She doesn't like him," Jenny pronounced with outrage. "They were seen hugging in a corridor," Arnav supplied. Raschid had told him that. A "pooh-bear-hug" he'd said and she'd pecked him on the cheek. Could Arnav be blamed that he'd tried to kick the goalpost to the ball in the second half of the practice? "A heap of bull," Adi interjected, "Khushi would never do that. She's got this invisible "touch-me-not" tattooed across her forehead." Arnav hoped not cause all he wanted to do right now was pull her into his arms and coax out a kiss from her lips. Red-hot need pounded through every nerve ending in his body. "Arnav," a soft whimper reached his ears. He wheeled around to face the source and found himself solidifying in shock. Kajjal.

*********************************************************************** ***** The intense gray of his eyes gave him away. Khushi had noticed the familiar razoredged perfection of the jaw, shaded by the sexy stubble and clapped gleefully to herself that Arnav was here. It wasn't till she looked into his eyes that she got the confirmation. He was dressed in a black tux that fitted him like nobody's business. His gaze had a dangerously tactile timbre to it. A delicious torture flowed in currents through her body. And then he had jerked his head. Aloofly. The way you acknowledge the salesman who sold you a defective oven. "...And then they made me the Cultural Secretary," Shyam was saying. Khushi made a conscious effort to dredge her mind back to the conversation. A fractured hope stung her heart. He wasn't going to come up and rescue her from the clutches of this forced conversation. She saw him walking upto Adi and Jenny through the corner of her eyes. "I saw you win the Desi Girl title. You totally deserved it," Shyam pulled out the rose and offered it to her. Khushi looked down at it, her mind still rippling with questions, her fingers closed around the stem accepting the rose. Shyam beamed a smile of victory and Khushi snapped back to realize what her acceptance must have amounted to. "I still don't wanna get engaged," she stammered. "We'll see about that," Shyam smirked confidently. Someone approached the trio and Arnav's face paled. Khushi sat up straight. She could smell trouble. Quick calculation told her that the woman dressed in black brassily with the world's deepest neckline could only be Kajjal. The way her hand went around Arnav's wrist stamped Kajjal all over the petite figure. Khushi stood up unconsciously, pushing back the chair and avoiding the sardonic arching of Shyam's eyebrow. "Where to?" he drawled nastily. "To the bar." "Allow me," he stood up. "Not necessary," she waved him off. He followed anyway. She couldn't outright desert Shyam and go hopping back to her friends. It would feature as headlines in the narrative account to her Baba. Holding the hem of her gown slightly above, she floated

towards the bar aping Lady Townshend a.k.a The Brown Lady. They were all too caught up in the exchange to notice that she was now at the bar, just a few steps away from them. "Dance?" Kajjal stretched out her dainty hand. Arnav looked at it, considering the alien germs lurking within the valleys of her fingers and finally taking her hand with a "Hell! Why not?" expression. She unmindfully drank from the glass Shyam offered her. She really didn't like the way Kajjal was pressing her body against Arnav's. The word she was fishing for was "Devastated". Yeah! She felt every inch of it looking on at the intimacy with which Kajjal was hounding Arnav. And he'd loved her once. She remembered the agony in his eyes the day she'd walked into his room while he'd been painting her. Did he still love her? She finished the second glass, slapping it back into Shyam's hand before she sashayed down the dance floor, her face one of purpose behind the mask. She didn't turn back to see if it had infuriated Shyam or if he was drowning in steep confusion. In all honesty, she didn't give two hoots. *********************************************************************** * "Mind if I cut?" Arnav looked up to find Khushi sweetly smiling at Kajjal. He didn't miss the murderous glint in her eyes as she stepped forward, breaking the death grip Kajjal had been subjecting him to for the past eight minutes. She brushed off Kajjal royally with another of her feral smiles that sent Kajjal scurrying away three-blind-mice-style. Arnav felt a grin churning up. Khushi was in a foul mood! And she was adorable in it. Her chin poked him in the chest as she clumsily guided his hands to her narrow waist. He felt the satiny texture benath the wisp of red silk she was wearing. And it struck him like lightening that this was what he'd been yearning for the whole evening. The feel of Khushi in his arms. He was swept away on a tide on need, toppling him over the edge of sanity as she snuggled closer to him, resting her cheek against his chest. "Something troubling you?" he murmured softly. "Sshh... Just hold me," she whispered back. Her voice sounded oddly musical. She moved with him, her bare creamy shoulders left to his inspection, her face buried in his chest and her narrow waist arrested between his feverishly warm hands. The dim light of the club made the ambiance severely combustible. All day long I can hear people Talking out loud

But when you hold me near You drown out the crowd (The crowd) Try as they may They can never define What's been said Between your Heart and mine The smile on your face Lets me know That you need me There's a truth In your eyes Saying you'll never leave me The touch of your hand says You'll catch me Whenever I fall You say it best When you say Nothing at all [Credit: Alison Krauss, When You Say Nothing At All] "Khushi, you okay?" he tried again. She hadn't lifted her head once through the song. It worried him. She looked up this time, her eyes clearly glazed and her expression one of a petulant child. The world swirled around her. Like it was stuck in the Nescafe Shaker Deepika Padukone owned. She could feel her legs trembling like tongs of a tuning fork. She steadied herself against the length of Arnav. His voice pierced through the mists in her head but it hurt like hell. "Your voice is deep and sexy, I know. Don't show off," she pouted. "Are you drunk?" he asked, eyes widening. She did sound comical now that he was concentrating of something except his lower functional organs. "Maybe a little," she blinked, holding her thumb and index finger apart to show the measure. She raised her hand to her head, creasing her forehead to squeeze out some thought, "I was supposed to be saying something to someone." "Khushi, let's get you home," Arnav seriously intoned. He held her upper arm and started to walk her to the exit. There was tenderness in his touch that shattered the fogginess. She swatted his hand away, holding the lapels of his coat. She brought her face a kiss away from his, grabbing the chocolate scent rippling off him, "Oh! And I think I'm falling in love

with you." Arnav blinked. His heart thudded over the loud music bobbing through the club. She rested one palm on his cheek giving into her need to touch him. She wanted him and it was blatantly exposed in her eyes. "And it scares me," she giggled, dissolving the moment. "But why exactly do I love you?" she crinkled her eyes in deep thought. Arnav gaped at her in stunned laughter as she tried to come up with her reasons. "a) You have those deep gray eyes. b) You smirk like Smolderhalder. Or is it Somerhalder. The one with the sexy smirk. Get me? c) You are good sketching-material. d) You taste like chocolate and look like dark chocolate." Her eyes were glinting with satisfaction after she'd listed out her choices. She held her lower lip invisibly ticking off the points on a list in air. "Jenny, Cupid just shot my heart and now Thor is hammering my head. Get them off me," she soundlessly wailed throwing her arms around Arnav's neck. "Khushi, stop creating a scene," Shyam's raspy voice grated out of nowhere. Khushi opened her eyes, taking in the shards-of-ice eyes standing close by. "Can't get married to you. You have buckteeth, double chin and a paunch." She turned back to Arnav, "I like these buttons." She traced their outline with her finger causing Arnav to suck in his breath inaudibly. She merrily laughed before sagging against Arnav, a content wayward smile intact on her lips.

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