Part 27 The Girl

"Why did you go there, Khushi? Didn't I ask you to go to your room?" Arnav asked Khushi.

"I went to my room, Vedika came to my room and said you are waiting for me"

"Vedika?" he frowned.

She nodded yes.

"Don't you know I won't talk to her? How did you trust her words?"

"I know you won't talk to her... that's why I could not ignore. I thought something should be important..."

"Didn't I say she is a cunning woman?"

Khushi nodded yes.

"Did you break Parthiban's iPhone?"

Arnav looked down. She lifted his chin.

"Did they capture my low-cut neck?"

Arnav averted his gaze.

"Why do you get angry to this extent when it comes to me?"

"It's because it's about you"

She leaned on his shoulder.

"I'm feeling blessed to have you in my life, Arnie"

Arnav closed his eyes. He knew she wouldn't be in the same mindset if she got to know the truth...!

After a while,

Shashi came home and saw Arnav feeding lunch to Khushi. He stood up to see Shashi.

"Oh... uncle, Khushi was not ready to eat... that's why..." he hesitated.

Shashi nodded his head. He sat with them. Taking the plate, Khushi ate.

"Khushi, I had never seen such a friend like Arnav"

Khushi smiled at Arnav.

"You know the guys who messed up with you are in the hospital struggling for their life... they could not walk for the next two months... I can imagine how he would have hit them. I didn't know a storm was residing inside this naïve guy"

Arnav was embarrassed.

"They deserve it," Khushi said furiously.

Shashi smiled and asked,

"Have you had lunch, Arnav?"

Arnav nodded no.

"What friend you are, Khushi? Make him eat"

Khushi nodded ok.

"I will just come changing" Shashi left the place.

Khushi extended the spoonful of rice toward his mouth. Arnav looked at her perplexed. She nodded her head like, EAT. Arnav had it not wanting to disappoint her. Khushi smiled. After eating,

"I'm leaving... we will go to the Botanical Garden tomorrow"

Khushi nodded ok sadly.

"Bye..."

"Bye..."

Arnav left.

Night

Khushi was leaning on the bed, closing her eyes. She could not come out of the incident. Tears rolled down her cheek. Taking her phone, she called Arnav. He attended the call in the first ring. It seemed he was waiting for her call.

"Khushi... are you all right?"

"Why didn't you call me after reaching home?" She asked in a low tone.

Arnav was stuck. He so wanted to call her but he didn't want to because he sensed Khushi was getting into him unconditionally. It made him nervous.

"I thought you would be with your father. So, I didn't want to disturb you"

"I would have felt better if you had been with me,"

"Is not Uncle at home?"

"He is... just went to his room. He was with me only after you left. You know, I never felt like missing anyone before, if my dad was with me... but today, I badly missed you,"

Arnav closed his eyes.

"Khushi, relax... I think you have not come out of the incident yet"

"It's not about the incident. My mind is roaming around you, Arnav"

"Khushi, don't be emotional..."

"I think I will always be emotional... if it is about you"

Arnav took a deep breath.

"What have you had for dinner?"

Khushi sensed him changing the topic. She didn't want to nag him more.

"Rotti and dall..."

"Nice..."

"Didn't your Mom ask, why you returned from the trip earlier?"

"She did..."

"What did you say?"

"I said a few students fell from the cliff and broke their leg and hand, so, the trip is canceled..."

"She would have felt bad"

"Mmm"

"Poor she didn't know it's you who diabolically broke their legs and hands..."

Arnav was silent.

"You know, students looked at you with fear of death when you hit them"

"Didn't you fear?"

"No... because I have already seen the scene in the Botanical Garden. In fact, I was happy to see them being beaten up. You did them for ME... am I not special?"

Arnav didn't know if he should say YES.

"I know I'm very very special to you, no matter if you agree to it or not..."

Arnav gulped down.

"I felt like talking to you before going to sleep. That's why I called you. Good night, Arnav"

Khushi disconnected the call. Arnav tapped his forehead with his phone. He didn't know where Khushi and her love was taking him. He was scared about her love. At the same time, he could not think he could avoid her. He knew he was getting greedy to make her his.

The next day

Khushi got ready to go to the Flower Show with Arnav and waited for him. She smiled seeing him coming.

"Is not uncle at home?"

"No, he went to attend a meeting"

"Shall we go?"

Khushi nodded ok.

They got into an auto to head to the Botanical Garden.

"Are you all right?" Arnav asked.

Khushi nodded yes.

"Good..." he smiled.

Flower Show

They reached the flower show. Khushi was looking at the colorful flower sculptures in the Botanical Garden with Arnav who did not care about those sculptures but the well-sculptured statue-like girl with him.

They took enough time to roam the entire Garden. Arnav saw her mood changing cheerfully. She started talking to him like before. Arnav felt relief as he wanted the same. They sat on the cement bench relaxing and chitchatted randomly.

Suddenly, Arnav's facial expression changed to see a girl looking at them with an unbelievable expression. He gulped down hard. The way she looked at him said something was there between them. Khushi, who was looking at his face adoringly, noticed the sudden change in his face. She looked at the direction and found a girl gaping at him.

"Khushi, let's go," he stood up.

Khushi didn't question him. She knew he didn't like to be questioned. So, she nodded ok. They came to the bus stand and the girl followed them. Stopping an auto, Arnav made Khushi sit in it and he took place next to her.

"Go to SP bungalow" he ordered.

The driver drove the auto towards the SP bungalow.

"What happened, Arnav? Why did you bring me hurriedly?" Khushi asked.

"Headache"

Khushi knew he lied. Yet she was silent. If he didn't want to tell her the truth, she didn't want to nag him.

Arnav got off the auto and cut off the meter.

"Bye..." He said.

"Don't you come in?" Khushi asked disappointedly.

"Another day... Not now...please..."

"You have a headache... come and have a coffee... or rest..."

"That's ok... we will meet in the college tomorrow. Bye"

He started walking towards the bus stop not waiting there. Khushi stood looking at him. Khushi turned to go home but she again looked at Arnav turning her head and frowned, seeing the same girl following Arnav. Who was she? Why did she follow Arnav? What was the connection between them? Why did Arnav become nervous to see her? Khushi was alerted. She wanted to know that. Giving enough gap between them, she followed her.

The girl went to the bus stop where Arnav was waiting. Arnav was horrified to see her coming towards him. He started walking from the bus stop. The girl followed him not giving up. When he entered a eucalyptus woods, the girl ran to him and blocked his way, spreading her hands. Arnav stood gulping down. Khushi stood hiding behind a tree and listened to them.

"What are you doing Arnav?" she asked rightfully.

"What?" he asked rigidly.

"Who is the girl?"

Arnav was silent.

"Does she love you?"

"No..."

"Lie... you know very well that she loves you"

Arnav was silent. Of course, he knew Khushi had feelings for him. Why wouldn't he know when her activities were so open?

"How did you get the courage to fall in love, Arnav?"

Arnav stared at her.

"Did you tell her the TRUTH?"

Arnav averted his gaze away from her.

"So, you have not told her... Right?"

Arnav didn't look at her.

"When I fell in love with you, you were so genuine...! Understanding my gesture that I have feelings for you, you immediately told me the truth because you didn't want me to develop feelings for you. What happened now? Anyone would say she is badly and madly in love with you. Love is overflowing in her eyes. I'm sure you too know she loves you. Then why don't you tell her the truth? How could you think of loving a girl?" she asked angrily.

Arnav bit his jaws. He wanted to ask, 'Who the hell are you questioning me? So what if I love her?'

"Why are you growing expectations in her heart? Is it ok to make her feel bad later? Don't you care about breaking her heart?"

"Shut up, Sheetal... Just shut up... Neither I love her nor does she love me. Ok...? We are friends..."

"Friends? Really? From when did you feel to have a friend?"

"I have no reason to prove anything to you. You don't have to bother about her... Stop following me" He walked away.

Sheetal stood smirking at him. She studied UG in the same college as Arnav. She loved him even though he was rigid. Arnav refused to accept her proposal but she chased him adamantly. Without any choice, he told her the truth of his life. Sheetal backed off without any second choice because there was nothing to think about it. She thought Arnav would be single for his whole life. When she saw him in the Botanical Garden with a girl who was full of love with Arnav, she could not tolerate it. The reason Arnav gave her made her give up on him. But now, after seeing Arnav with someone a strong question raised in her mind. If Arnav could give someone a chance, why didn't he give it to her? Why someone? How could she let it happen? That was what she was doing now.

To be continued...