Part 16 Decision Changed

Evening

Shashi came home and got fresh. He watched the news. Khushi came and sat with him.

"What about your trip? How much money do you need for the trip?" he asked cheerfully.

"I'm not going Dad," She said not showing her disappointment.

"Whaaaat? But why? You were so excited last evening. Has it been canceled?" he was confused.

"No... I'm not going because Arnav is not coming" She pouted.

Shashi was taken aback.

"Arnav?"

"Mmm"

"You are not going because he is not coming?"

"Mmm"

"But why? Don't you have other friends in your college? Lavanya, Preethi and NK..."

"I have dad, but they are not like Arnav. They are my friends but Arnav is something..."

Shashi raised his brows.

"Why doesn't he come to the trip?"

"Could you say why the world is revolving around the sun?"

"What does that mean?" Shashi frowned.

"Likewise, we can't question Arnav"

"How could you be friendly with him if you can't question him?"

"Why would I question him if I knew he would have a reason?"

"What reason would he have?"

"Don't know Dad but he is a nice guy. Others are flirts"

Shashi chuckled.

"Yes, Dad. He is the only one who is not flirting with me. Do you know how handsome he is? His one look is enough to make girls flat but he won't even look at girls. He doesn't talk to anyone but only with me" She said circling her knees with a smile.

"That's why you like him?"

"No one is like him. That's why I like him. I feel so content if he is with me"

"To the extent of forgetting your mother's death anniversary...?" he smiled.

Khushi looked at him stunningly. She turned towards the calendar and widened her eyes. She looked at Shashi horrified who was smiling at her. Her eyes tear up swiftly. She leaned on his shoulder and cried.

"I'm sorry, Dad"

"Shhh... there is nothing to cry. I'm glad you came out of your Granny's grief. Thanks to Arnav"

"He is a nice guy Dad. My heart feels happy to be with him. He is ONE ODD out in everything. I like to be with him..."

Cutting her,

"For your whole life...?"

Khushi looked at him shockingly. Shashi smiled at her. She again leaned on his shoulder.

"I don't like to be away from him, Dad. I feel so protective with him just like I feel with you"

"Do you love him?"

She drew lines on his bicep.

"So, you fell in love with him...!"

She sat straight.

"Am I wrong?"

"Who said? Love can't be wrong but choosing the right person is important. You said he was cold with you..."

"He WAS... not now. He is a good friend of mine now"

"What if he is not ready to accept his friend as a wife?"

"At first, he was not even ready to talk to me. Then talked to me and accepted me as his friend...! I believe he will accept my love too"

"If he doesn't accept, you will MAKE him accept, right?"

Khushi smiled biting her lip.

"Does he know you love him?"

"If I confess, he may run away I suppose," she said controlling her laughter but Shashi laughed.

"Then how will you confess?"

"He likes me... I believe he won't break me down"

"Bring him to our house. I want to see your Prince charming... the one who made my daughter mad at him"

"Dad... I don't even tell him about my love. Please don't do anything and mess it up" She pleaded restlessly.

Shashi laughed.

"You are the only one who declared your love to your father before your boyfriend"

"It's because you are the best father"

"If you choose the right person as your life partner, I will be happy"

"Arnav is the right person, Dad"

Shashi nodded his head.

"I trust your choice"

"Thank you, Dad..." She said cheerfully.

"What are you going to do when your friends are going for the trip?"

"I don't know" She sighed.

"Do one thing, take Arnav and roam Ooty. You are new to Ooty and have not yet visited it in fullest..."

"Wow... what an idea...! Thank you Dad..." she chuckled.

"Try to confess your love...some things should not be delayed"

"I want to, Dad but I don't know what will that idiot do" She bit her nail.

"Tell me if he doesn't accept your love. We will directly attack his parents... what say?"

"They won't do anything he doesn't like," She said wearily.

"Then, it must be you, who could get him on the track"

Khushi nodded yes pouting and Shashi laughed.

The next day

Khushi asked Arnav about her doubts in a chapter. He explained it to her. The students stood up as the professor came. He taught a lesson. Arnav took notes as usual and Khushi copied it as usual. With five minutes left in his period, he stopped teaching the lesson and closed the book.

"Attention please..."

Students looked at him.

"The trip has been postponed," the professor said.

"Ohhh nnooooo..." Students sighed.

"Yeah... we will go one week later, and that's confirmed"

Arnav's face brightened.

"So, study well for the TERM test. Then we will go for the trip without exam tension" the professor said.

"Even though the trip doesn't post pond we will not have the exam tension sir," NK said.

"I talk about GOOD student not about you, sit..."

NK scratched his head.

"Who is interested in the trip, give your name to Nandkishor"

"They already gave sir... our class list is ready," NK said.

"Is that the final list?"

"Yes, sir..." NK said.

He looked behind and the students turned their heads to the last bench, hearing,

"I and Khushi also coming to the trip"

All the students looked at Arnav taken aback, including Khushi. She blinked her eyes, looking at him, and could not believe it.

"Are you sure?" NK asked with disbelief.

Arnav nodded yes.

"Done," he said cheerfully.

Swetha looked at Vedika who was fuming.

Arnav looked at Khushi who was gazing at him as if he was an alien. He smiled.

"Pinch me..." She said.

Arnav again smiled. She pinched him.

"Ssss..." he hissed.

"My God... are we really going on the trip?"

He nodded yes.

"But, how did your mind change?"

He didn't answer.

"However... it changed... that's enough... oh, God... I can't believe this"

Arnav smiled.

"You know how excited I'm?"

Arnav nodded yes.

"Come to my home today," Khushi said.

"Why?"

"Just like that"

Arnav frowned.

"Ok... my father wants to meet you"

"Meet me? Why?"

"Just like that"

Arnav frowned.

"Hey, cool... my Dad will not eat you"

Arnav smiled.

"Will you?"

Arnav nodded ok.

"Wow... what happened to you today? You are giving me surprise over surprise..."

Arnav smiled.

Khushi dropped a message to Shashi about Arnav's SP bungalow visit. So that he would make time to come home soon.

Evening

"Let's go" Khushi walked with Arnav.

They got into an auto and reached the SP bungalow. Khushi called the servant.

"Is it ready?" she asked.

"Yeah..."

"One minute, Arnie" she went to the kitchen and came with Almond keer.

Arnav was horrified to see the keer being presented in a SILVER bowl. Khushi extended it to him. Arnav moved a step back making her perplexed. "What happened, Arnav?"

"I don't want this," he said.

"But why? You said you like Almond Keer"

"I'm allergic to SILVER"

"Silver?"

Arnav nodded yes.

"It causes me stomach upset"

"Oh, my god...! Wait,"

She kept the bowls on the table and went to the kitchen. She brought keer in the glass bowls and forwarded it to Arnav. He took it from Khushi, glancing at the SILVER bowl with a kind of nervousness.

"Come..." Khushi took him to her room.

"This is my personal space," She said.

Arnav ran his eyes in the compact room that was maintained neat and clean. He saw outside through the window. Her room was at the back side of the Bungalow. There was a small lane that ran behind the bungalow. He saw a policeman sitting in the backyard.

"Come and Sit" She tapped the bed.

Arnav came and sat next to her.

"See, how boring my house is... this is why I like your house very much"

Arnav smiled.

"You are too bad" she pouted.

"Why?"

"If I say I like your house, you should invite me to your house but you didn't," she said making a face.

"You can come to my house anytime"

"Except the FULL MOON night, right?"

Arnav was stuck.

"Uncle and aunty would not be at home on Full Moon days..."

Arnav was silent.

They heard a car sound.

"Dad came... come..." she brought Arnav downstairs.

Shashi entered the home, searching for his going-to-be son-in-law. He smiled at Khushi who signaled him to see behind her. Shashi saw a handsome guy following his daughter.

"Dad, he is Arnav...My..."

"I know... Hi, young man..." he extended his hand.

"Hello, uncle" Arnav shook hands with Shashi.

"Khushi told me about you a lot... in fact, she talks ONLY about you. You occupied her life and heart..."

"Dad, control yourself..." She smiled gesturing him to be controlled.

"Did you give anything to Arnav?"

"Yeah, he just had keer"

"That's nice. By the way, what do you think about Khushi, Arnav?" Shashi intentionally asked to know his mindset about his daughter.

Arnav was fixed. He didn't expect the question. Khushi was curious to hear the reply.

"Anything is possible for her, uncle. She can even melt a ROCK. She knew how to kill people with kindness" he said making father and daughter awe.

To be continued...