KHUSHI

I don't know how I had put myself in this situation but right now, Rahat was in my house, seated with me and my family on the dining table eating dinner with us, I mean how?

Was this guy really serious about his feelings for me? I mean as far as I have read about him and known him, I always knew he was a bit proud and arrogant, he would never even enter such a middle class house let alone eating in one, so if he was doing this maybe what he was saying was genuine.

It might be or it might not be, the issue was I dint feel anything towards him, nothing at all.

"Damn he is so hot, you are so lucky Khushi." Arohi whispered.

I looked at her wondering why she thought I was lucky because Rahat liked me.

"This food is so great aunty, it's after ages I'm eating food like this, there's just something special about a mother's touch." Rahat said to mom, seriously, since when was this guy good enough?

For once I really wanted that those cliché things I had watched in movies and read in novels about how liking someone could change you into a better person was true, but I don't know I just had this gut feeling that fairytales like that dint exist.

I mean how could he really go from hating me, to liking me this much so suddenly? It just dint make any sense, I hated being this confused, at least if I could figure out if whatever he was saying was genuine or not, I'd know what to do next.

"I'm glad you like it, I worked hard to make it good for you." mom said.

"It is great, I wish I could come here and eat with you guys every day." Rahat said.

"You are most welcome." Mom smiled excitedly.

"I would, if Khushi acknowledges my feelings for her." He smirked as he turned to look at me. Why was he letting out his feelings so openly, why did he have to tell my mom about it, she was going to convince me about this and I dint want that.

"Hopefully she will." Mom said.

"Mom!" I looked at her strictly.

"It's okay Khushi, I'm in no hurry, you can take your time, however long it takes for you to believe that I really like you." Rahat said, I just ignored him and continued eating my food hoping he would leave soon.

Once dinner was done, mom and Arohi got busy cleaning as they forced me to escort Rahat outside because he was leaving, I walked with him out of the house, and he wouldn't just stop staring at me.

"Stop looking at me like that, it's creepy." I shrugged.

He stopped walking and turned to face me, he looked at me for a while silently, then grabbed me by the shoulders and looked into my eyes.

"Tell me what I should do so you can believe I genuinely like you Khushi? I mean why is it so difficult to believe that I can like you? Look at me Khushi, do I look like the same Rahat you met at the interview? Since we went to Mauritius and I spent time with you, my thoughts changed, I never thought I'd ever even want to get married but you make me want to get married and spend the rest of my life with you, because that's how much I like you.

So tell me what I should do to make you believe that I am serious, that this isn't some game I'm playing, because honestly your ignorance about my feelings is hurting me as hell. So help me here Khushi." Rahat looked at me seriously.

"I am not stupid Rahat, you say you want to marry me and you think I'll believe you like me, I am too smart to believe that nonsense." I said angrily, I don't know why but despite everything, whatever he said and did, dint just feel genuine.

"Okay so if I make you believe that what I am saying is true, and that my feelings towards you are true, will you be with me, will you date me?" he asked.

"I'm never going to believe it." I said.

"Yes or no Khushi, will you be with me and give me a chance to prove my feelings for you or not?" he looked at me seriously.

As much as I was trying to believe his words, I knew Rahat better that anything, he would never want to be in a serious relationship, not with a middle class girl like me especially, so I guess there was no harm in me agreeing for something that was never going to happen, at least he would leave me alone after that, and that's all I wanted, for him to leave me alone!

"Yes." I said.

"Great, by tomorrow morning you'll have your proof." He said.

"All the best Rahat." I said, there was no way Rahat Raizada could date me, it was just impossible.

He walked away angrily, got inside the car and drove off, as I saw his car driving off, reality hit me. What the hell did I just do? I mean in the heat of the moment I did say if he made me believe his words I'd date him, but what about me? What about my feelings? What about my future, my career and everything I had planned for all this while?

Dating someone was never in my plan, how could I just agree for it? Damn it Khushi, what the hell were you thinking? But I guess it was okay because I knew Rahat would never want to date me, he was just playing with me, but then there was also a part of my mind that thought, what if he was actually serious?

Was I even ready to get into a relationship? I mean yes I could think of being with someone if I had feelings and right now I was sure as hell I felt nothing towards Rahat, nothing at all.

*****

It was scary, I was scared to walk inside the Raizada mansion, the thought of Rahat actually proving his feelings to me was scary because I wasn't sure on what to do, why did I even agree that I would date him? You were just so stupid Khushi!

I found Arnav seated in the hall, busy on his phone as usual, I stopped where I was and looked at him, he was dressed in casuals today, a black jean and white tee, he looked so... I dint even have the word. He just looked so great, pretty attractive that I couldn't stop staring at him, and I also had a stupid smile on my face.

When he noticed me, he stood up with a smile on his face and walked towards me.

"Good morning." He smiled brightly at me, I don't know why, but just the way he smiled at me and said good morning, gave me goosebumps, just like the way the compliment he gave me yesterday made me feel so giddy.

I mean yesterday there was just something strange I felt about him, not strange in a bad way, in a good way, I even dared to give him a compliment back which was so unlike of me.

It was a strange feeling, it was different and beautiful, and he looked so handsome today I dint want to stop looking at him.

"Good morning sir." I smiled back.

"You can address me as Arnav, you don't have to call me sir." He said.

"Okay sir, I mean Arnav." I blushed, why was I blushing? But he had such a beautiful name, Arnav. Okay stop it Khushi, what's happening to you?

"Are you okay Khushi?" he raised his eyebrow.

I opened my eyes wide and looked at him silently, I tried to open my mouth to speak but I couldn't because he took a step closer towards me and I was feeling breathless, this proximity between us was making me nervous for no reason at all.

"Khushi." He said as he held me by the shoulder making me freeze, why did his touch make me feel this way. Right now he was holding me, looking at me worriedly, I don't know why but I liked that he was worried about me.

"Yeah, I am okay Arnav." I finally managed to speak.

"Great, then head to my room, there's a list of work for you, I'm heading out for a while, I have breakfast plan with Tina, If you need help Rahat is around." Arnav said, I nodded as he walked away. I really hoped I dint need any help, I just dint want to face Rahat after the stupidity I had done yesterday.

I rushed to Arnav's room and like he said there was a list of work for me, so I started working on it, there was an interview the both of them were supposed to give tonight which he wanted me to remind them about in the evening, and then there were numbers of a few people who were calling for concerts so he wanted me to follow up with them, I called each of them, got the details and wrote them down and also set a reminder in my phone about the interview.

The door of his room opened suddenly and I saw Rahat standing there, my heart started beating like it was in a race.

"I was looking for you, come with me." He said as he walked towards me, grabbed my hand and started pulling me out of the room.

"Rahat, let me go, what are you doing?" I asked.

"Just trying to prove that my feelings are genuine so you can believe me for once Khushi." He said as he continued pulling me along. Seriously, why did I even agree that I was going to date him? I took in a few deep breaths and tried to calm myself down.