"Arnav"

" Yes. Finally you remembered." He said

A full blown smile appeared on my face, seeing a friend after so long. Even he smiled seeing my smile. We wanted to greet , so he came forward for a hug, whereas I extended my hands to shake. It became awkward a little, but he accepted my hand for a formal shake.

" I'm so glad to see you here" he said.

" So am I. But guess what I'm getting late for my office. You always suck at timing Dumbo. We'll catch up soon. Okay" I said hurriedly, while he nodded in affirmation.

I walked past him when he stopped me by calling my name.

" And you always forgot." I see him with confusion etched on my face. " Your contact details?" He asked. Obviously, how will we meet when we don't have to each others contact details.

I gave him my number and promised to meet each other on weekend.

Unexpectedly Seeing a friend after an mentally draining day was such a mood booster for me, I almost forgot the failed meet with Abhishek and was literally in my memory lane throughout the day, Thinking about the quality time I spent with my friends. Growing up , we often tend to forget to look at the good things of the past and always remember the bad stuffs. That happened with me too, whenever i use to look back , I was remembered the bad memories, the cringy one, my mistakes, things that I regret. But my school life was much more than that, it was amazing, with such good friends like Arnav, Shashank and Lavanya. It was fun during breaks, during pratical's, during sports , during events. And I enjoyed in those times. Meeting with Arnav made me relive those precious moments. I'm really looking forward to meet him on weekends.

Arnav POV

I met Khushi, Khushi Kumari Gupta, aka Gaity. It was unexpected, but seeing her was a pleasant surprise. After getting to know her from her different books , I have started seeing her in a different light, different from just a long lost friend of school. Her thoughts, her words made me familiar with her in a way no one is to her. As if I now know her thought process, her way of thinking, her feelings. I was looking for ways to rekindle with her again, but by this way, I have never imagined it. But it's great. Really great. I just can't wait for the weekend.

The weekend arrived rather too late for their liking. They literally counted every minutes. But the day arrived and they started their journey to the same cafe house where they accidently met .

Arnav arrived first and was waiting for khushi, when he saw her at the parking, parking her scooty. She entered through the door and Arnav kept gawking at her, She looked pretty, wearing a loght peach suit, her hairs kept in plaits, with few strands out, maybe because of the helmet she was wearing. She spotted him and waved enthusiastically.

"Hy!!" she said.

"Hello miss." He said smilling.

"So did i kept you waiting for long?" She asked

"Naah... i arrived just 5 minutes earlier." he cleared.

"Then its good." she sighed.

And thus the conversation flew like river between the two friends who had a lot to share, from career to family, from politics to recently released movie. Anything and everything under the sun was the topic of discussion for them.Arnav told how close his office is from this place that is just a few blocks away from Khushi's .And then they realised how close they were for so long but it took them this much time to meet each other. Time passed before they could even realise so they have to part ways but with the promise to meet each other regularly.

Since the meet , 3 months to be precise, they met regularly, sometimes for shopping, sometimes just for timepass. Arnav have dropped twice to khushi's place on dinner , on insistence of Garima as she wanted to know the guy her daughter was meeting so often. And even Garima found Arnav a great guy.

So just like normal they decided to meet each other for Arnav's groceries shopping after their work hour. So he as usually decided to call her as to inform her that he left the office premises and is on the way to pick her up. But even after two rings when she didn't picked up, the worry started seeping in as she never does that, also it way past her office time. On the 3rd ring she picked up the phone , he sighed in relief but that was short lived as her voice quenched something inside him. Her voice shaky, fearful and she couldn't breathe.

"Ar... Arnav ple... Please.... Get.... Me... Out ....of .....her...here" she said.

" Khushi.... Hello khushi?? What happened?? You ok?? Where are you??" He started running to her office, it helped as it was closer and easier than going to basement and take his car out.

" St...ora.... ge  room " she said still hypervellating.

" What??" He asked.

" It's cl...close... From .... From out... No window... Or ... Or... Ventilation. I ... I can't.... I can't... Breathe." She informed.

Offcourse she is claustrophobic. She has mentioned that in the book. He has to do something fast, he started running towards her office.

" Khushi... Khush... Honey. Try to breathe ok?? Do you see any plastic?? Breathe in that ok?? I'm just reaching there in 5, no no in 3 minutes." He said hoping that she actually find something to breathe or else she would pass out.

" It's... Dark.... I don't..."

" Yes.. yes, honey I know it's dark but try to touch anything... Please... I'm just 2 minutes away." He said his heart in his mouth, he kept running as fast as he could. The people on road kept giving him weird looks but he doesn't care right now. All he cares is khushi's wellbeing.

He reached her office but the guard stopped him, seeing his dishevealed looks.

" Just let me in , khushi's locked." Arnav shouted

" Who khushi?" The guard asked bewildering.

" Khushi Gupta, she works in the office. She's locked in the storage" he explained as fast as he could.

" Now tell me where's that fucking storage?" He demanded.

" 2 floor , far right." The guard and khushi said simultaneously. And they ran towards that given location. Arnav ran like his life was in line, but it was true in some way, Khushi has become his life in this 3 months.

He reached to that place in a Jiff, the door malfunctioned and it got locked itself. He and the guard managed to break it in few seconds and khushi came out, breathless, dishevealed, and almost unconscious, she held Arnav as she stumbled to come outside the dark hole that she was in for last 5 minutes. She held him for life and passed out in his arms. Arnav unable to enjoy the relief of saving her quickly lifted her in his protective arms and bolted towards the nearest hospital. She clinged on him as a glue but he didn't mind at all.

After reaching in emergency, the doctor assured him that she fainted just because of stress and nothing else. The doctors suggested to atleast give her a drip so she feel refreshed once woken up.  He called Garima and informed her about khushi's health. Then stayed at her side. He wonders what would have happened, had he not called her earlier. A chill passed his spine as the thought crossed his mind

After half an hour Garima arrived at the hospital and was assured by him that nothing major happened. She kept crying and was constantly thanking him for saving her khushi on time. He had to constantly assure her that until he is here, nothing can happen to 'their' khushi.

Khushi was brought home the next day, after she completed two set of saline. And since then she was confused about something, that is her feelings on that fateful day and Arnav's reaction. Yes , it's true that she just picked his call in terror, but the terror she felt in his voice was something different, him rushing to her, covering 15 minutes distance in 5 minutes, is weird. She can't pinpoint what but she knows it's different. Guess she'll have to find it out herself.

A week after that fateful day, they were invited in a classmate's wedding reception. She wasn't willing to go there as she knows it's kind of reunion, as everyone was invited in the party. She doesn't want to face her past. Not yet. Maybe never. She still remember how her heart was mercilessly stomped by him, her crush, Nishant.

On the day of farewell, she decided to confess her feelings to Nishant. She expected nothing in return, no, she doesn't dream about being his girlfriend, she knows he has better women waiting for him. She just want him to know, just acknowledge her feelings, so that she won't have any regrets left in life. So she chose that day, as she knows it will be the last day they ate meeting each other, so that will be less embarrassing . So she confessed and he said

"I appreciates your feelings but I'm sorry as I'm unable to reciprocate the same."

It was okay for her until she heard him making fun of her appearance and her feelings or in short her in general.

" That behanji, khushi thinks that I will like her. Stupid, stupid her. Man, what's there to even like? She has nothing, not body , no style statement to be liked by me. But man, you have to give me credit, I can pull even a nerd like her. " He was telling to his friends.

" So true yaar, how can she think about you, and even if she did, from where did she found the courage to confess you that?" His friend chimed in the so called funny talks.

" So true, I mean what the fuck. She thought that I will accept the proposal? No way. If she would be the last person on the planet, then I would use my hands for the rest of my life and die celibate than dating her." And they laughed.

Laughed like it was the biggest joke of the century, not knowing khushi was behind them, listening to their cheap talks.

Listening to the boy she held so highly, talk this cheap about her. That was the time she last saw him, but the idea of seeing him again sent shivers in her spine. She doesn't want to see him ever. But both Arnav and her mom is forcing her to join the eve. Obviously she can't blame them, they don't know about her past, so it's obvious of them to think that her mingling with old friends is a nice idea.

That's why here she is , completely ready, waiting for Arnav to come pick her up while silently praying for Nishant to not attend the party.

Arnav's pov

I know khushi has past, she liked BBB but it didn't work out, details of which I'm unaware of, but she has to move on from that. She can't dream of future while holding onto her past. That's why I persisted her for joining the party. So decking up in a suit I am standing in front of her house to pick her up. I tried to look my best.

And whooshhh... She came out of her house. Walking like a goddess in the blue velvet saree, her hair down for the first time, light make up. I just couldn't take my eyes off her, unable to blink , holding his breath , he admired the beauty in front of him.

He looked at her the way she need to be looked.

As if the world would crumble and he wouldn't even blink.

He didn't know when she came close to him. He came out of the trance once she snapped her fingers on his face.

" Ahem ahem , mister. Where are you lost?"

" In your beauty. You look absolutely stunningly gorgeous." He said huskily, raising the hairs on the back of her neck.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

HERE'S MY STORY, WAS SAVED IN DRAFT FROM LONG. I WILL COMPLETE THIS STORY IN A WEEK, SO PLEASE TELL ME IF YOU LIKE IT OR NOT?

THANK YOU AND SORRY BECAUSE I KEPT YOU WAITING FROM LONG AND AM UNABLE TO POST ANYMORE STORIES.

BYE EVERYONE.