Part 8 Unexpected Behavior

Khushi was tossing on the bed. Her mind was full of Arnav. She could not accept that Arnav was not the one who was in her Granny's prayer. She didn't know why her mind didn't accept it even though Arnav's parents said they didn't know her Granny. She thought some other connectivity must be there with them. What would it be? She could not connect the dots. At last, she slept, could not hold herself.

The next morning

Shashi was having tea while reading a newspaper. Khushi came there.

"Good morning, Dad"

"Good morning..."

"When did you come last night?" she asked sitting next to him.

"11 o'clock"

"Oh..."

"How was Arvind's family? Did they move nicely?"

"I have never seen such a great and understanding couple in my life, Dad. They are so cute you know"

"Is it? What about your friend? What's his name?"

"Arnav..."

"Yeah, Arnav..."

"You won't believe... he does house chores... maintains their garden... helps his mother..."

"Is it?"

"Yes, Dad... he brings dishes to the table to help his mother"

"Wow... it seems his going-to-be wife is a lucky girl"

"No doubt, Dad. He cares for his mother. So, he will care for his wife too... do you know how sweet his mother is...? She is so friendly and concerned. I like her very much. I'm going to go to their house whenever I get time"

Shashi bomb shelled. Khushi won't like to go to anyone's house. She allowed her friends to be with her but she never went to anyone's house so far.

"Their house is a wood house and it was so beautiful...!"

"Is it?"

"Yeah... it felt like I was in a forest"

"I see..."

"Though I didn't get a friend (Arnav) I got a nice uncle and aunty," Khushi said and looked at the clock.

"Dad, I will be late to college if I talk about Arnav and his family... we will talk later... bye"

"Bye"

Khushi rushed to her room.

Shashi felt relieved as Khushi was getting close to someone in the new place instead of missing her Granny.

Beryl Collage

A new curiosity was created in Arnav's mind about Khushi. She was usually naughty with him. After getting familiar with his parents, he didn't know how casual she would become. He came to the class and saw only two students in the class. Students started coming one by one.

After a few minutes, Arnav saw Khushi entering the class. He lowered his eyes when she looked at him. So, she missed noticing his eyes smiling. Arnav was already given a space to Khushi but to his disappointment, she sat on Lavanya's bench. Arnav looked at her shockingly as he didn't expect the twist. He felt a bang... correction, BIG BANG in his heart. He didn't expect it. He thought she would sit with him on his bench as always. He was disappointed to see her not even looking at him.

Yes, after visiting Arnav's house, Khushi decided not to disturb Arnav. His parents were nice people. She didn't want to embarrass them by nagging Arnav who was not interested in giving her notes.

Khushi didn't want to disturb Arnav which disturbed Arnav cruelly. He had been alone in his life so far but he never cared about it because it was him who willingly stayed aloof from everyone but, when Khushi kept her distance from him, he felt like, he was left alone in the real sense because she formed a hope in his mind unknowingly.

Students looked at Arnav and gossiped. Arnav didn't even sense them but gazed at Khushi.

Lavanya entered the class with a girl and became excited to see Khushi sitting in her place. She came to her place glancing at Arnav and sat with her.

"Khushi, you here?"

Khushi nodded yes.

"What happened, Khushi? Did he do anything?"

"No no... I don't want to disturb the one who is not interested in my friendship... that's all..."

Arnav tightened his jaws, hearing that. Yes, he could HEAR. He had the hearing ability more and more better than others.

Lavanya introduced her friend to Khushi who just returned from her vacation.

"Khushi, she is Preethi"

"Hi, Preethi" Khushi extended her hand towards Preethi for a shake.

"Hi, Khushi" she shook hands with Khushi.

"Where were you these days?" Asked Khushi.

"I went to Coimbatore for my cousin's wedding. That's why I could not come to the college last week"

"Oh... how was the wedding held?"

"Amazing"

"I like Tamil Weddings very much. When I was in Chennai, I voluntarily attended my friend's family weddings" Khushi laughed.

Lavanya and Preethi chuckled.

"Don't worry! We will take you to our family weddings"

"It will be fun"

NK entered the class and got stuck to see Khushi sitting at Lavanya's place who always shared CBM's bench.

"What happened, Khushi, you changed your place?" NK asked, looking at Arnav.

The whole class looked at her and then at Arnav who was looking at NK. Khushi smiled not answering.

"What's the big deal? She would have understood that she could not succeed in getting the notes from him" someone said.

Vedika smirked. Didn't she know it was not that easy to win CBM?

"She lost the game it seems" a girl countered.

Khushi nodded yes without ego. NK and Lavanya felt bad for her and Arnav gulped down. He didn't like her accepting the defeat because he thought she would not give up on him.

Arnav was watching her, expecting her to look at him but she didn't. He thought she didn't need his notes and changed her mind. But why? Just the previous day she came to his house and had lunch with them. She spoke with them about many things and shared her feelings too.

Her thoughts got distracted as Parthiban entered the class with his gang. He dashed his fist with Vedika. After all, they were the heirs of Big-shots of the Ooty. He stopped to see Khushi. He came to her. Arnav gulped down hard to see him approaching Khushi.

"Hi, beauty..."

"You are...?" She frowned even though she recognized who he was.

"Parthiban... son of MLA..."

"Oh... I have forgotten..."

"Yeah, we met only one time..." he said not showing his awkwardness.

Khushi slightly smiled. He extended his hand towards his friend who gave him a box. He gave the box to Khushi.

"What's this?" She lifted her brows.

"Ooty's special HOME MADE chocolates... only for you"

Taking it from him, Khushi gave it to NK and said,

"NK, distribute it to everyone"

Parthiban's facial expression changed.

"I gave it to you..."

"Anything special?"

"Just to welcome you to our class... to Ooty..."

"I already came... I will be in Ooty even though you don't welcome me..." She said casually.

Parthiban didn't like the way she cut him off.

"I'm planning to go to a movie... you to join me" It was an order.

"I'm not interested in movies and I can't miss the classes"

"What's the big deal...!"

"It is... for me... after all, I'm SP's daughter..." She mentioned herself as SP's daughter for the first time.

Arnav wondered. She never used her status to get his notes but now, she uttered it to Parthiban. It didn't seem about studies but a WARNING.

"Yeah... your father salutes my father..." he said mockingly.

Khushi didn't lose her control but said,

"When is the election be declared?"

Parthiban tightened his jaws. He knew what Khushi was hinting. His father's power was only until the election was declared. He could not say his father would be the permanent MLA of Ooty. The election result would change his status but she would remain SP's daughter always... in fact, her father would get promoted and her status would boost gradually.

Parthiban left the class getting annoyed.

The students were confused about her behavior. She was so at ease with CBM who didn't even give her heed. Neither did she use her power nor did she speak with attitude to him, so why with Parthiban?

Those questions raised in Arnav's mind too. Why she was so ignorant towards Parthiban when she was so cheesy with him?

NK distributed the chocolate to the students and came to Arnav. He extended a chocolate to Arnav. He threw a hot glare at NK who sighed. He gave the last chocolate to Khushi. Taking it from him, she stuffed it in NK's mouth who ate it smiling.

"Don't you like chocolates?"

"A lot..."

"Then why didn't you eat it?"

"If I want to eat chocolate, I can buy it... who is he to give me chocolate?"

"Yeah, point..."

"He is a dangerous guy, Khushi. Be careful with him" Lavanya said.

"Yes, he is a rogue..." Preethi said.

"Why are you guys frightening her? She is an SP's daughter after all..." NK said.

Khushi rolled her eyes.

That was when the professor came. He asked the questions from the lesson he taught in the previous class, from the same chapter Khushi copied from Arnav. As Khushi understood the lesson through Arnav's notes, she answered the questions rapidly, making the students raise their brows. Arnav understood how she answered the questions because her answers were the same as his notes.

Arnav became restless. It seemed Khushi would not talk to him anymore. He thought she would take advantage of their family gathering but she acted totally upside down. He didn't expect it. He felt bad about it. He didn't like to be alone on his bench. He saw Khushi's name on the bench and gulped down.

On the other side, Khushi also felt the same. She thought she was behind Arnav only for his notes but nope. She liked to be with him and liked to nag him. She understood that only after being aloof from him. She didn't like to be away from him. Though she was with Lavanya and Preethi she felt like something was missing. She felt herself incomplete. At the same time, she felt helpless as he was not interested in her friendship.

Khushi turned her head and looked at Arnav who was writing something. Arnav felt something in his heart and raised his head. At the same time, Khushi turned her head feeling disappointed. Arnav would never give heed to her. She thought.

The whole day went dry for both Arnav and Khushi. The last bell rang. Arnav intentionally walked slowly to see whether Khushi would follow him or not.

Khushi saw him walking unusually slow that day. It seemed he didn't want her to follow him like she did before. She supposed.

Arnav decided to do something to bring her back to his place. He could not let her go... he just could not...!

To be continued...