Part 15 The Bride

Khushi saw Nani's missed call. She sighed. The Wall clock showed that it was 10 pm.

"It would be better to go to RM directly than calling Nani at this late hour as she might have slept by now." Khushi thought.

She was not wrong. Nani slept as she thought but Arnav. He was suffocating like hell not knowing why Khushi didn't come to RM. he wanted to know whether she was alright. Keeping all the second thoughts aside, he called her.

Khushi, who came out of the washroom, wiping her face, heard the phone ring and checked the caller. Her eyebrows went up, seeing Arnav's name flashing. She attended the call hurriedly. Before she started talking,

"Khushi are you alright?" Arnav asked, who was waiting on the other side impatiently.

"Haan Arnavji... I'm alright"

That was it...

"Then why the hell you didn't attend Nani's calls? She called you two times and no response from you. Can't you just call her back? (Khushi closed her eyes biting her lip. She knew Nani would be tensed as she knew her story. That was why Arnav was shouting at her but his next sentence amazed her) Do you know how tensed I was?"

HE was tensed? But why? Arnav continued.

"From the morning, I have been waiting for you but you didn't come to RM today. Then you didn't even attend the call... what would I think, damn it?"

"But, I didn't tell you, I will come to RM today..."

"At the same time, you didn't tell me that you won't come to RM today..."

"Hann... but does it make difference?"

"It does... can't you call and say you won't come today?"

Khushi could not understand what to say. Why did Arnav get tensed?

"After challenging me, you went to your house casually and didn't even mind to convey to us anything about your absence... and I'm thinking off you like a mad..."

Khushi was taken aback. LIKE A MAD? Like really? Did he think of her? Was he in his sense or not? Did he forget about their challenge? Was he thinking about her?

"Hello... hello... Khushi... are you there?"

"Mmmm"

"Why are you silent? Have I sounded like a mad?"

"Arnavji... I'm sorry... I made you think about me the whole day it seems" She said calmly.

Arnav, who was about to say something, got stuck, hearing that. What did she just say? Did she make him think of her?

"Oh... no... I..." he stammered.

"Go to sleep Arnavji... I will meet Nani tomorrow. Good night"

Without saying GOOD NIGHT to her, Arnav disconnected the call nervously. What she said was not true. He analyzed his own actions. He didn't think about music but Khushi... ONLY Khushi. From the time she left RM, he was thinking about only her. he lay on the bed but he could not sleep. He wanted to know why he was thinking about her over his music. In fact, he even forgot music from the time she refused to attend Nani's call. Adding to it, he was shouting at Khushi for not attending the call. What the... what would he tell her when she came to RM tomorrow? He didn't know what she thought about him.

Of course, Khushi was also thinking about it only, but not in the way Arnav thought. She felt bad for making him tense because she didn't think in the other way as she knew Arnav very well. So, she didn't have a problem sleeping.

The next day

Arnav felt embarrassed to face Khushi not because he LOST the bet. It was because he lost the bet, thinking about nothing else but Khushi. And he blurted it out to her directly in anger. The challenge time was getting over in the afternoon only and he was still thinking about her and her challenge. What the hell was wrong with him?

Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself down. He decided not to think of Khushi and not to get close to her anymore. He heard the calling bell sound. He tried to be not affected.

Hari Prakash opened the door and Khushi entered in with a smile on her face. She smiled at Arnav and advanced him. Before he said anything,

"I'm really sorry Arnavji. I was not able to call Nani yesterday. I know, because of Nani you became restless. Don't worry, I won't consider you as a loser of our bet. Just ignore it" saying she walked to Nani's room.

Arnav stood gulping down. Though Khushi didn't consider him a loser... he was...! Absolutely, he was...! After all, it was his SELF EXAMINATION. Then how could he ignore it, just like she did? But, how could she be looking cool? He didn't understand and walked to Nani's room to know why she didn't come to RM the previous day.

Khushi came to Nani's room.

"Namaste Naniji..."

"Khushi... what happened to you? Are you alright? Why didn't you come here yesterday?"

Khushi smiled. What she thought was right. Nani should have become tense. That was what was reflected in Arnav's tone last night.

"I'm really sorry Naniji. I was busy yesterday as Di arranged Bride seeing ceremony all of a sudden"

Arnav got rooted hearing that who was about to enter Nani's room. BRIDE seeing ceremony? Who was the BRIDE? Was that Khushi?

"Ohhh... the Groom family came to your house to see YOU yesterday?"

"Yes, Naniji..."

"That's nice... I'm sure he would have liked you..."

Cutting her,

"How do you know?" she asked excitedly.

The Groom liked Khushi? Arnav gulped down hard... don't know why.

"Who won't like you bitiya? Anyone would like you..."

"Yes, Naniji, they liked me and said to find dates"

"That's great news. By the way, what about you? Do you like the Groom?"

"I left it on my Di... I said I'm ready to marry anyone if she likes"

"No, Khushi. this is your life. you should be the one to choose your partner"

"Honestly speaking Naniji, I just want to leave Di's house as much as possible. Jeejaji is coming next week. It's enough if I can get rid of him in any way. That's why I'm getting married because my wedding life will become my own problem. I can handle it all alone. But, I can't push Di into trouble"

"It's right but you too should like your partner then only your life will be happy, bitiya"

"I will surely start loving MY HUSBAND after my wedding, Naniji"

Nani sighed.

Arnav walked away as he didn't like to hear more about loving her husband... he didn't know why.

"May I bring you tea, Naniji?"

"Please... give a cup of tea for Chotte also"

"Sure Nani"

She went to the kitchen and prepared tea for them. She handed it to Nani first.

"I will give this to Arnavji and come, Nani"

"You too have it, bitiya... it will get cold otherwise"

"Ok, Naniji"

She walked upstairs.

Arnav didn't feel anything right. He felt restless... stressed... tensed... worried... what not? He closed his eyes, leaning on the recliner. He again opened his eyes hearing a knock on the door. He opened his eyes and saw Khushi with a teacup in her hand and a smile on her lips.

Though Arnav didn't want to show his agitation on his face he could not.

"Are you alright Arnavji?" Khushi asked.

"What....? What happened to me?"

"You are looking stressed..."

"No... nothing is like that"

"That's it... you are Arnav Singh Raizada after all. Come one, take a cup"

Before Arnav took one, she herself extended it to him. Arnav took it from her and sipped. Khushi also sipped it, standing in front of him.

"You look happy... what's the matter?" Arnav asked sipping the tea.

"I always..."

"Of course... but today, you are looking delighted"

"Really?"

He nodded yes.

"Yeah... will tell you soon"

"Why not now?"

"Let it get confirmed"

"It has not got confirmed yet... but you are happy about it?"

She chuckled.

Arnav kept the empty cup on the tea table. Taking it, Khushi was about to leave,

"why didn't you come to RM yesterday?" Arnav asked.

Khushi looked at him and sighed.

"There was a small program held at our house"

"What program?"

"Bride seeing ceremony"

"Who is the bride?"

Khushi dropped her jaw thinking that he was teasing her.

"Am I not looking like a bride?"

"Won't you tell me anything that happens to you?"

Khushi lifted her brows up getting amazed.

"You will feel bored if I started telling you what happens to me and... I know you won't like hearing them"

"Maybe, but don't you know you are the only one who I accepted as my friend?"

"I know and I'm proud of it... most probably, I don't want to lose it. That's why I'm keeping a distance from you"

She walked away. Arnav frowned. What did that mean? Did she think, she would lose his friendship if she didn't keep her distance from him? But why? She wanted him to get settled in life. she knew she was his only friend. If she maintained a distance from him, who would dare get close to him? And... why the hell he was feeling restless from the time he learned about her Bride seeing ceremony? He gritted his teeth with annoyance.

To be continued...