Part 22 Lethal Fate

Arnav and Khushi came to the office, finishing the meeting. She went straight to her cabin and Arnav entered his cabin. He started doing work. Afterward, his phone rang. Taking it, he saw the number. It was Khushi's house's landline number. Abhi was calling him. Arnav attended the call with a smile.

"Hi, big guy..."

"Hi, MT"

"How are you doing?"

"I'm super fine"

"Good... I want you to come to my home. I have a surprise for you"

"Whaaat? Surprise? Really?" he was almost hopped.

"Yup"

"Our school is on holiday tomorrow. Shall we meet?"

"Oh, sure... by the way, why your school is a holiday tomorrow?"

"Twelfth standard board exam starts tomorrow. That's why"

"Oh... that means, you will often get holidays"

"Maybe..."

"Ok... come to my home tomorrow morning"

"Will you be there with me?"

"Of course..."

"Ok, we will meet tomorrow"

"Sure"

Arnav disconnected the call all smiling.

The next day

Khushi wondered because Arnav took off that day. He didn't tell her about it anything. Was he alright? Should she call him? He might have thought in a different way. She shrugged the thought off. She started concentrating on her work. She wanted to ask Abhi whether he ate something as he was at home due to the holiday. She called her house's landline number but no response. Abhi might be in the washroom. Or, he might be playing with his friends. She thought. Again, she worked for a while. After half an hour, she again called Abhi. This time also Abhi didn't attend the call. She became thoughtful. Why didn't Abhi attend her call? What was he doing? Where was he? Was not him at home? Something stroke her mind. Was Arnav in her place? No, Abhi would have been attended her call even though Arnav was in her place. Was not Abhi at home? Was Abhi at Arnav's place? Was Arnav trying to get closer to Abhi more? This was not done. Arnav should not have done like this.

She came to Aman's cabin.

"Aman"

"Yes, Khushi?"

"I need an hour permission"

"Ok... Boss is also off today... you can go"

"Thank you"

Khushi left the office by an auto. She came to her home. What she suspected was right. Her house was locked from outside. She understood where will Abhi be. She remembered that Abhi told her about Arnav's bungalow once. She strode towards Arnav's house.

In the meanwhile,

After learning some advance drawing technics from Arnav,

"MT, you said there is a surprise for me..."

"Yeah..."

Arnav removed a swimming trunk from the cupboard and gave it to him.

"Swimming trunk? Why do you give it to me?"

"I got the swimming pool ready. It is in the backyard"

"Really? But I don't know swimming"

"Oh..."

"Yeah... myself and mom don't know swimming"

"No, problem, i will teach you, and you teach your mother," he said smilingly.

"Are you going to teach me?"

"Yeah... it was very hot in the morning. That's why I delayed. Let's go"

Wearing half pants, both of them came to the swimming pool that was in the backyard of Arnav's house. Abhi was about to get into the pool, Arnav stopped him.

"Wait, Abhi... come on, apply this gel on your body"

"What gel is this?"

"Your skin will turn dark if you get into the pool without applying this gel. It will protect your skin from chlorine. Look at me and do the same" He said while applying it on his body.

"OK..." Abhi watched Arnav.

"Abhi, follow my instructions. Don't go to that side. That side is too deep" Arnav pointed at the other side of the pool.

He handed the gel bottle to Abhi.

"Ok"

"May I help you to apply the gel?"

"No... I will apply it"

"Ok" Arnav jumped into the pool and waited for Abhi.

Abhi took the gel in his hand and supposed to apply it on his body, his face horrified seeing Khushi entering the house. Thank God, there were many show plants around the pool to hide. He bent down in the manner of hiding himself.

"What happened?" Arnav asked.

"Mom is here..." he said fearfully.

"whaaaat?" Arnav also was shocked.

Abhi slightly raised his head and looked at Khushi. It seems she was enquiring the security about Abhi.

"She is inquiring with the security..."

"Don't worry, he won't tell her about you"

The security raised his hand towards the pool.

"Oh God, Mom is coming. I'm going home. Bye"

Shrugging his hand, Abhi dropped the gel on the floor and rushed towards the house.

"Don't tell her I'm here" he said while running.

He waited to know in which way she will use to the reach the place as there were two ways to reach the pool. As she used the left side path, Abhi ran in the right side path. Arnav started swimming coolly as if he knew nothing. Khushi came and stood, looking here and there for Abhi. Arnav got stuck, seeing her in red plain saree. That was the first time he saw her in saree. Khushi stood looking at somewhere avoiding to see Arnav who was half naked.

"Khushi... you here? Can't you be without seeing me for at least one day?" he asked teasingly.

"Where is Abhi?" she asked him without minding his question.

"Abhi? Where is Abhi? Didn't he go to school today?"

"His school is holiday today and you know that"

"How do I know?"

"Abhi would have told you"

"It seems you are giving more importance to our relationship than Abhi gives..."

"Stop playing with words... tell me, where is Abhi?"

"I already answered the question."

Khushi was about to say something, without giving her chance,

"By the way, you look gorgeous in the red saree. Red is my favorite color you know"

Arnav stood in the pool, folding his hands with a killer smile. Khushi sighed and turned to leave, she stepped on the gel that was spilled on the floor by Abhi. She slipped her balance and fell down on the deepest side of the pool. She struggled in the water as she was drowning in it. Arnav remembered what Abhi said. 'Myself and my Mom don't know swimming.' Keeping every issues between them aside, Arnav swam towards Khushi fast. He tried to lift her from the water.

"Hold my shoulders, Khushi" he shouted.

But Khushi was not in the state of listen to anything as she was scared. in that, she started pressing him in the water in anxiety. Without any choice left, Arnav hugged her along with her hands tightly. Yet, she hopped. After a few seconds, Khushi lost consciousness as she drank enough water. He made her lay down on the pool wall and rubbed her palms, coming out of the pool. Nope... no movement in Khushi. Arnav flipped her and pressed her lower back to make her spit excess of water she drank. He rubbed her back to get her consciousness. Khushi opened her eyes slowly coughing. She sensed someone was rubbing her back. She was shocked, seeing Arnav doing that. She sat on the floor jerking.

"Relax... you slipped in the pool" he said.

Khushi coughed again and saw her saree completely messed. She pulled it with her hands and tried to cover her front portion. But her effort went in vain as the saree was so thin. She kept neatening her saree pulling it in sideways. Arnav turned his gaze somewhere and stood. Khushi also stood up embarrassingly. She tried to run from there, but the LETHAL FATE didn't want to finish the obsessive sequence there itself. It made Khushi to step on the gel again. This time, she fell on Arnav and both fell on the turf. For the first time, in her life, Khushi sensed something in her. she was the one who was on Arnav. Yet, she didn't get apart from him for a few seconds. Arnav fisted his fingers to control himself from touching her. She got up and rushed from there. Arnav closed his eyes helplessly, hearing his own heartbeat. Opening his eyes, he saw Khushi rushing out of the house premises. He sat, running his fingers in his wet hair gulping down.

To be continued...