Part 23 Trembling Khushi

Words were not enough to describe Khushi's condition. She was shivering like hell. The Great Arnav Singh Raizada was in love with her. He even spoke to his parents about her... in front of her...! She pressed her chest to control her heartbeat. Her heart was jumping like hell like it might break her rib anytime. She could not believe she was Arnav's love.

Why did he love her? What did he like in her? Didn't he say she was his EYE-OPENER? What did she do that opened his eyes? She didn't know. She just sent a few emails to him, nothing more than that. What was there to open his eyes?

What would she do now? What would her parent think of her? Would they think, this was why she was involved in the collector's programs? She bit her nails nervously.

She looked at her in the mirror and saw her messed up state and loosely tied-up hair into a bun.

"Hey, Devi Maiya... did I go to his place like this?" She hit her forehead. In the nervousness to stop him from going to the temple festival, she didn't mind about her appearance.

"Khushi, you would be the one from the whole world who looked like a beggar while being proposed... that too by a collector...!" she again hit her forehead.

Khushi didn't know how to face Arnav after that. Being a front-line social worker, she could not be without meeting him. She questioned herself whether she had any work to meet him. She sighed in relief as there was no work to meet him. She didn't know how to handle the issue. It was clear that she had no idea to accept his proposal. Not because she didn't like him. It was because she didn't dare to LOVE him. How could she do that if he was a collector? She was not a girl who had a superiority complex. Of course, she knew her worth at the same time, she knew Arnav's worth too. She thought she was not a suitable match for him.

Maybe... she might change her perception in the upcoming days. Or, Arnav might make her realize her worth.

..........

Dev Sinha's arrest news spread all over the district. Some people were shocked some people were glad and some people were scared. If Dev Sinha's condition was like that then who could dare to go against the law?

Payal was fed up. Her hatred for her father became tenfold. Akash tried to console her but he failed. She was crying non-stop. She could not tolerate what his father was about to do. She felt insulted.

After two days, of packing her things, she left Dev Residency.

Khushi was shocked to know that. She rushed to the women's hostel in which she was staying. Akash and NK were waiting for her there. Payal came out of the hostel to talk to them.

"What's this Payal?" Khushi asked.

"I don't want to be in HIS house. I hate to address myself as his daughter"

"We can understand but what will you do being alone?"

"I have applied for a job in a school"

"Do you think you will get a job in this district? No one will appoint you, Payal"

"I know. That's why I tried in our next district"

"Stop all this Payal. Why are you thinking a lot when I'm here?" Akash chided.

Payal was silent.

"Let's get married," Akash said making her shocked and Khushi and NK glad.

"Wow, Akash... you made a good decision," NK said.

"Will your parents accept me?" Payal asked restlessly as she was scared that they would hesitate to accept her after her father's arrest.

"Even though they don't accept you we will marry," Akash said firmly.

"But, Akash..."

"Let me talk to my parents first. Then we will decide accordingly" Akash said and looked at Khushi.

"Until then, could you take care of Payal?"

Khushi nodded yes.

"I will take Payal to my home," Khushi said.

"No, Khushi. Your father is a Tahsildar. I don't want him to get affected by me. I will be in the hostel until Akash gets his parent's acceptance"

"Why are you bothering unnecessarily? You are my friend. You can stay at my place. Let's go"

"Khushi relax. Without knowing Akash's parent's mindset, I can't come with you"

"You are so stubborn, Payal..." Khushi said disappointedly.

"She thinks we should not get affected by her decision," NK said.

Payal was silent.

"Akash, go home and talk to your parents," NK said.

Akash nodded ok.

.........

Khushi came home and thought about Arnav. Whenever she thought about him, she felt a shiver in her spine. How freely she spoke to him...! She attended his programs with pride and without hesitation...! She even drooled over him...! She did that when she had no right to him but now, after knowing Arnav was ready to give her the right to devour him, she was scared...! She fell on the bed but she didn't want to sleep. She was hungry but she didn't like to eat. What the bloody condition was this?

She wondered if it was two days since he confessed his love. He didn't call her after that. Thank god, he didn't call her. She didn't think she could talk to him like before.

That was when Garima called her.

"Khushiiii..."

Khushi jumped out of the bed and came out.

"Come and eat fast..."

Khushi frowned. Fast? But why? To her surprise, Garima started feeding her. Khushi gulped the food not understanding anything.

"Babuji called me. He said he could not come for lunch. I'm sure he will not eat anything, go and give him lunch..."

Khushi gulped down. This was why her mother was making her ready. Did she go to the collector office now? She bit her nail.

"What are you thinking?"

Khushi nodded her head from left to right.

"Go... if possible, make him eat being with him"

Khushi's heart raced again. What if she met Arnav there? What if he asked her decision? She gulped her fear.

"Go, Khushi..." she handed the lunch bag.

Taking it, Khushi started her scooter. She headed the collector's office with a lot of thought. She prayed Arnav would not come in front of her but her bad luck, Arnav saw her entering the office through the glass window.

Khushi stopped the scooter and headed to the election section. She saw Shashi was checking a file sincerely. There was no one in the section. All of the section staff went for lunch.

Shashi sighed with a smile to see Khushi.

"Babuji, I will leave only after you eat. Otherwise, I can't..." She said.

"I have no time, beta"

"Babuji, you are earning money to feed us... you don't have to do that starving... come..." she started opening the boxes.

She saw Shashi standing up.

"Why are you getting up now...?"

"Good afternoon, sir," Shashi said.

Khushi looked behind and saw Arnav standing with a smile.

"She is right Mr. Gupta... you don't have to work starving," he said looking at Khushi smiling.

"Actually, sir..."

"That's right. We should be healthy to do our work. Your wife sent you lunch with concern and your daughter brought it with concern... feel blessed to have such people with you, Mr. Gupta. See, I have everyone but I have no one to feed me on time..."

Not only Khushi but also Shashi didn't know what to say.

"After saying so much, won't you ask me to eat with you?" Arnav asked.

Both father and mother were dumbfounded.

"I don't know what to say, sir. I don't know whether you will eat our food..."

"Why won't I eat your food? I would like to...! If you have doubt ask Khushi..."

Khushi looked at him perplexed. What he was talking about?

"Please, sir..." Shashi pulled a chair for him.

Arnav sat on it. Shashi gestured for Khushi to serve. She served it to them. Arnav noticed her hand slightly shivering. He looked at her raising his head contently.

"Why are your hands shivering? I thought you were a brave girl...!" He intentionally said that in a double meaning.

"This is an unexpected situation for her..." Shashi smiled.

"Is it? Didn't you expect this?"

Khushi was silent. How could she answer him if he intentionally questioned her in double meaning?

"Am I a ghost or what?" Arnav smiled.

"The great collector" Came from Khushi.

Arnav knew it was an answer to his unasked question.

"The collector also a human..." He ate smilingly.

"You are so lucky, Mr. Gupta. Your homemade food is so tasty" he smiled. So did Shashi.

After that, they didn't talk anything. Shashi wondered to see him not asking anything regarding work. They finished eating. Arnav washed his hands.

"Very good lunch after a long..." Arnav said wiping his hands.

Shashi nodded his head.

"Khushiii..." Arnav called.

"Haannnn?" She jolted.

"Tell Mrs. Gupta that I thank her"

Khushi nodded ok hurriedly. Arnav smiled. If she was the old Khushi, she would have said, YOU DON'T HAVE TO THANK US. THIS IS OUR DUTY. He supposed.

"Thank you Mr. Gupta" Arnav left the place.

Khushi sighed in relief. She sat on the chair gasping and arranged the boxes in the bag.

"I'm going, Babuji"

"Tell Garima that I will be late tonight"

Khushi sighed. It seemed she would bring him dinner too. She nodded ok and was supposed to come out. She smiled at Aman who entered the election section.

"How are you, Khushi?"

"I'm fine... what about you?"

"Doing great..." Aman said proudly.

Khushi nodded ok and was supposed to go,

"Wait, wait... collector sir called you. He wants to talk to you" Aman said, making her dumbfounded.

"But why?"

"How do I ask him, Khushi? it must be something about your foundation... Go"

"Collector sir is calling you and you are questioning...? Go first" Shashi said.

"Are not you coming?" Khushi asked Aman.

"Me? I'm going home for lunch. I will have to come in forty minutes. We have a meeting. You go..." Aman left.

Khushi stood clutching the lunch bag tight.

"Go, Khushi, he has a meeting. Before that, go and meet him" Shashi said.

Khushi nodded ok and headed to his cabin.

To be continued...