Part 54 Feelings

Khushi got stuck seeing Arnav's face. What Khushi saw in his eyes was something she had never seen before. LIPS CAN LIE...BUT EYES CAN NEVER... his eyes told her something that churned her stomach. He looked lost in her. It was clear that he too had feelings. She could not believe she was witnessing SUCH an expression on his face. Even the SIREN sound of the police jeep could not make a change in him.

"Arnavjiii...."

He was still lost.

"Arnavji...: she pressed his palm softly.

"Haan...?" Arnav came out of the trance.

He gulped down hard at their position. Yet, he didn't feel to get apart from Khushi. He could not understand what feeling that was.

Love is a double-edged knife. It's a powerful weapon everyone wants to have but not everyone can handle it. Sometimes, it may hurt... but also heals. Maybe, Arnav was healing from inside with Khushi's arrival...unknowingly. He might have started trusting her that she would not go leaving him ever.

It was Khushi who took a back step. She got stuck, seeing her mangal Sutra being hooked up with his shirt button. She tried to get it from his shirt. While doing that, she slowly raised her eyelashes to his face. Her attention focused more on the way he was watching her. His eyes firmly halted on her face. Didn't know what was he looking into her face. She was not sure about his mind.

That was when they heard footsteps. Khushi looked at him getting horrified. She slowly peeped out to know who was coming. She sighed in relief as it was Alex. She hurriedly released her mangal sutra from his shirt and got apart. Still, Arnav was looking at her.

"Khushi... are you alright?" Alex asked.

Khushi nodded yes.

"Jee, Alex Bhaiya... I'm alright" she said in a little loud tone that gave sense to Arnav.

"Arnav... let's go"

Arnav nodded yes.

"Who are they?" Alex asked.

"I have no idea... my car tyre got punctured..."

"No... they should have intentionally punctured it to get you out of the car," Alex said.

"Did you catch them?"

"Our men went chasing some of them... they will catch them"

Arnav nodded ok and followed Alex.

"I will send your car through our PC. You go home now. i will come to RM later" Alex said.

Arnav nodded ok and got into the police jeep and left the place with Khushi. Neither Arnav nor Khushi spoke to one another. It didn't mean they didn't steal glances. They were in a different kind of turmoil.

Arnav could not believe he could not hold himself. He hated himself for being such a cling. But, that was it... that was love. his feelings were so strong that he could not ignore them. He was afraid... hesitant... he wanted to keep himself guarded but he could not keep his thoughts off of her. He honestly did not know how to do it.

In the meanwhile,

Aman came to RM as NK told him that Arnav and Khushi started to RM from the recording studio. Aman smiled at Nani who was with Anjali. Aman saw a woman, sitting in the living room and looking at her laptop. Anjali was watching share market stocks. She looked at Aman and then again looked at the laptop screen.

"Has not ASR come home yet, Nani?" Aman asked.

"No beta... he has not yet come"

"Oh..."

"Anything urgent?"

"I want to meet him"

"He would have been coming home I suppose"

"mmm"

"Have something"

"Lemonade juice is enough"

"Hari Prakash..." Nani called.

"Jee Naniji?"

"Bring lemonade for Aman"

Nani didn't ask for lemonade for herself and Anjali because they just had orange juice. HP went to the kitchen to bring lemonade for Aman who was glancing at Anjali thoughtfully.

At last, he asked Anjali,

"Excuse me..."

Anjali looked at him.

"May I know in which school did you study the eighth standard?" Aman asked hesitatingly.

"St. Peter's higher secondary School," Anjali said, glancing at Nani.

"Are you Anjali Gupta?" he asked.

"Haannnn" she said.

"Could not you recognize me?" he asked with disappointment.

Anjali nodded no.

"Aman... Aman Mathur..."

Anjali widened her eyes. a soft chuckle jumped out of her throat.

"Aman...? Is that really you?"

He nodded yes.

"Do you guys know each other?" Nani asked.

"We studied in the same school till the eighth standard," Aman said.

That was when they heard,

"Is it?"

They smiled, seeing Khushi coming towards them.

"Yes, Khushi... we were best friends..."

"Friends? Really?" Anjali asked and Aman smiled awkwardly.

"By the way, what are you doing here, Anju?" Aman asked.

The way he called her told them how close they were.

"Khushi is my sister," Anjali said.

That changed Aman's facial expression. That meant Anjali's husband was the one who was behind Khushi. He gulped hard.

"Are you my Di's friend?" Khushi asked.

"He is not just my friend but also a villain in my life" Anjali laughed.

"Villain?" Nani asked.

"He always guarded me home from school. My father misunderstood that and changed the school" Anjali laughed.

"Misunderstood means?" Khushi asked.

"He thought we are in love," Aman said making a weird face.

"It seems you have many flashbacks in your life?" Khushi teased.

"No no... only one flashback" Aman smiled.

"Were you guys so close?" Khushi asked.

"Yeah..."

"How did you recognize my Di after many years?"

"She has not even changed a bit. Same face... same smile. If she wears the uniform and two pleats, then she can join school now also" Aman said seriously.

"This is too much..." Anjali laughed out louder.

Aman and Anjali recalled their old memories whereas Arnav recalled the moment in which his mind could not coordinate with his heart. He saw Khushi behaving normally. Then why could not he? He didn't know.

"Ok, Anju, I came to talk to ASR about something important."

"Ok, you guys carry on," Anjali said.

"Have lunch and then go" Nani said.

"Haan, Naniji, I'm hungry," Khushi said.

Arnav knew why she was hungry. He too was hungry. they ran a lot after all...

"Yeah, Aman... let's have lunch," Arnav said.

"Ok" Aman shrugged his shoulders.

They had lunch together. Khushi didn't even look at Arnav for once but she was questioning Aman and Anjali about their childhood friendship. After finishing lunch, Aman came to Arnav's room.

"Tell me, Aman"

"I can't believe, the man we are searching for is my friend's husband," Aman said gritting his teeth.

"It's our bad luck..."

"But, she has us... it's her good luck. Thank God, you brought her here" Aman said.

"Yes, he is a very dangerous man than we thought. He sketched us today"

Arnav told him what happened a while ago.

"Are you sure that it was him?" Aman asked.

"Who else other than him would try to attack us?"

"You are a famous music director... you can have some other rivals too"

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing... I just want to tell you, think wisely..."

Arnav nodded yes.

"But this time, it was him... I'm sure of that"

"I have already assigned my men to search him. they will soon catch him," Aman said.

"Thank you so much, Aman"

"Does Anjali know that you are searching for her husband?"

"No... she doesn't... she doesn't have to..." Arnav said.

"What will she do if she gets to know about that?"

"I don't know... we can't judge women. They can change their mind anytime"

"If it is so, I will deal with Anjali"

"Do you think she is the same fourteen years old girl who listens to your useless blabbers?" Arnav asked mockingly.

"No... she is not a that innocent girl but an experienced woman who knew how dangerous and selfish her husband is. She can be mended easier than before because she understands..."

"Hopefully"

"I will update my men's progress"

"Ok"

"See you then. Be careful... don't go anywhere for anything... at least for a few days"

"Mmm"

"Bye"

"Bye"

Aman left RM after taking Anjali's leave.

Khushi didn't come to their room as she became busy with the Pooja arrangements. She came to the room only in the evening to get changed. She smiled at Arnav normally and went to the washroom taking the dress.

Arnav looked at her with confusion. Didn't she get affected by his nearness? Was she so stronger to be normal? He didn't think about the danger around them but about Khushi's normal behavior because according to him, that was the toughest issue.

Khushi came out of the washroom to get changed. She looked attractive in a light blue saree. She stopped and looked at him.

"Naniji wants you to get part in Pooja... you don't have to come if you are not comfortable" she left the room.

Arnav smiled. That was what Khushi did. She won't force him for anything. No compulsion... no pressure... she let him be like how he wanted to be... that was her specialty.

Arnav walked downstairs. He came to the Pooja room and stood beside Khushi who was praying to close her eyes. it seemed she was seriously talking to God about something. yes, she was...

"Hey, Devi Maiya... we got into a danger today. Yet, we got out of it. more than that, something is disturbing me... Arnavji's behavior. I know him. he was strong like a stone and firm like an iron... but, I saw something in him... he didn't seem like HIM today. I didn't know how to conclude it. It looked like, he has feelings for me but I can't believe it because he is not like that. he has been shielding his heart from every feeling. I'm confused. If he really has feelings for me, let me know... please..."

At the same time, Nani came to them with the Pooja plate and gestured to Arnav to apply vermillion on Khushi's forehead. Khushi opened her eyes, finishing the prayer and Arnav filled her partition in the same instance. Khushi looked at Arnav unbelievably and then DM's idol who had a smile on her face, giving the answer to Khushi's prayer.

To be continued...