Part 27 Mind Reader?

Khushi expected Arnav would show some odd expression on his face, seeing Rishi Gupta but he was cool as if he didn't know about Rishi Gupta.

"Namaste" Arnav said.

"How do you know I'm here?" Khushi questioned Rishi could not hold herself.

"How won't I know about your arrival, beta? You are my brother's daughter after all" Rishi answered, but not to her question.

Khushi looked at Arnav thoughtfully who was looking at Rishi contently.

"Please come in..." Khushi welcomed their family.

Looking inside,

"Vimla massi, bring something for them" she shouted.

Vimla peeped from the kitchen to know whom Khushi was talking about. She sulked seeing Rishi with his family. She pulled her head inside the kitchen again.

"Don't mistake me... May I know who is he?" Rishi asked Khushi, pointing at Arnav.

"He is my friend... He is here for research" she said the same story that she told Vimla.

"What research?" Asked Rishi's daughter.

Arnav looked at her.

"She is my daughter, Ritubala and she is my wife Sapna" Rishi introduced them.

"Oh..." Arnav said.

"He is my son Ganesh"

"Hi," Arnav said.

Ganesh shook his head with disinterest.

"You didn't say what research you are going to do," Ritubala asked.

"Human mind," Arnav said.

"Means?" She shrank her face.

"Studies about reading various minds"

"Interesting..."

Arnav smiled whereas Khushi frowned. She didn't understand which mean he said so.

"Do you know mind reading?" Ritubala asked.

"Not completely... But, my study would be almost right" Arnav said.

"Really? "

"Do you want to check it?"

She nodded yes.

"You are thinking, whether I could read your mind or not. Right?" Arnav asked.

"Fantastic... That's what I'm thinking right now" She said excitedly.

Arnav smiled inwardly. It's common thought anyone would think. Anyone would think about what they talk about. If it was so, Ritubala would have undoubtedly thought about reading her mind. It's human nature. No special skill is needed to guess it. Arnav just did that.

"You can ask me anything you need," Rishi said.

"Thank you," Arnav said.

Rishi looked at Khushi.

"You can keep Ritu with you for your help if you want"

"No Chachiji... We have enough servants in GH for our help" she refused his help politely.

Vimla brought them tea and served it to them with biscuits.

"How long will you be here?" Rishi asked, sipping the tea.

Before Khushi answered, Arnav, did.

"It has not been decided yet... It may take a few months too" Arnav said, observing Rishi.

His answer surprised Khushi. A FEW MONTHS? What was there in his mind? Her eyes fell on Ritu coincidentally. She looked at Arnav with excitement which annoyed Khushi.

"Khushi, does Mr. Bheem know about our arrival?" Arnav asked noticing Rishi's facial expression.

"How do you know Bheem?" Rishi asked with a slight shock.

"Yeah, Khushi told me about him," Arnav said.

"Oh..."

"By the way, you didn't ask anything about Payal... Why?" Arnav asked.

Rishi got stuck.

"Oh... I wanted to... we just talking about you and your research... I would have asked about her otherwise. By the way, how is she?"

Khushi looked at Arnav.

"She is fine...and a little busy with her work. That's why she didn't come with us" Arnav said.

"Oh..."

"Didn't you call Payal for once?" Arnav asked.

"I did... her phone was switched off"

"Then, you could have called Khushi... she would have told you that Payal missed her phone," Arnav said looking at Khushi contently.

"Oh... did she miss her phone?"

"Yeah, if you have doubt, you can ask Khushi," Arnav said.

Rishi looked at Khushi who nodded yes.

"Oh... without a phone, how will you talk to her?"

"Payal will call Khushi from her friend's phone"

"Oh... convey my regards to her if she calls you," Rishi said.

Khushi nodded ok.

"I'm glad, you got such a friend who answers all the questions on your behalf," Rishi said. Arnav sensed sarcasm in it.

"Ok, beta, we are leaving. Call me if you want anything" Rishi stood up.

"Babuji, shall I be here for a while?" Ritu asked.

"Yeah, you can be here but come home soon"

"Ok, Babuji. I will come home soon"

Khushi didn't like her to be at GH as she didn't like the girl. Rishi Gupta left GH with his wife and son. Arnav walked to his room. Ritu came to Khushi,

"Jeeji, is he your friend?" she asked in a low tone, looking at Arnav.

"Mmm"

"JUST friend?"

"Haan... JUST friend... why are you asking so?"

"He looks so handsome... that's why"

"What do you mean?"

"How could anyone be JUST friends with a handsome man?"

"I'm like that..."

"You are so mean"

Khushi rolled her eyes.

"How do you know him?"

"I told you, he is my friend"

"But, he looks not your age group... then how did you guys become friends?"

"He is my senior..."

"Oh..."

They saw Arnav coming.

"Khushi, I will go out in the evening to meet my friend"

Though Khushi didn't know which friend he would meet she nodded ok as she didn't want to question him in front of Ritu. But, Ritu did...

"Do you have another friend in Lucknow?"

Arnav nodded yes.

"Then, why didn't you stay at his place?"

Arnav looked at Khushi.

"No no... I mean, Khushi Jeeji is alone here..."

"She is not alone. There are a few servants at her house"

"Actually, people in Lucknow are not so forward. They always think with a narrow mind"

"What about you? How do you(stressing) think about us?"

"Jeeji said you guys are JUST friends"

"Oh... did she tell you?"

"Haan... she told me"

"Mmm"

"Shall I say something?" Ritu asked.

"Yeah, of course..."

"You look handsome"

Khushi widened her eyes, hearing her direct flatter.

"I know" Arnav smirked.

"Yeah... your girlfriends would have told you that"

"I don't have girlfriends..." He said looking at Khushi.

"Then, Khushi Jeeji..."

Cutting her,

"Except for Khushi..."

"Oh..."

"Didn't Khushi Jeeji tell you that you are handsome?"

Arnav flipped his lower lip and nodded no.

"Is it?"

"Yup... actually, I'm a rowdy" he intentionally said.

"Rowdy?"

"Yeah... I fight a lot" he said glancing at Khushi.

"Who doesn't fight? Everyone does. Women fight for water when water tanker comes... men fight for many silly things... even kids fight at their school... if you are a rowdy, they are also rowdies..."

"Wow... what a simple logic... what's your name...?"

"Ritubala"

"Yeah... Ritu, you are so understanding... UNLIKE others" he said looking at Khushi who glared at him.

"Thanks" Ritu grinned ear to ear.

Khushi rolled her eyes.

"By the way, Ritu, what are you doing?"

"Nothing... I'm at home simply..."

"Why? Don't you study?"

"No... what do I do studying? However, my father will get me married to someone..."

"Oh...! So, you are ready for the marriage?"

"Yeah... I'm ready to marry if I get a handsome man like you"

Arnav raised his brows and looked at Khushi who was looking at Ritu like, what the hell.

"Ok, Ritu... excuse me..." Arnav sneaked off the place.

"Ritu, you can go home. We have an important work" Khushi said.

"I will help you then..."

"No... you can't ... It's typing work..."

"Then, I will do some other work"

"We don't have such a work"

"Oh...!" Ritu became sad.

"I will call you if I need your help. Now, leave"

"Will you surely call me?"

"Yeah..."

"I will do anything for Arnav sir"

"Really? I'm glad about it... I will surely call you if he needs your help" Khushi said not showing her irritation.

Ritu nodded ok and left GH half-heartedly. Khushi went to Arnav's room, after making sure of Ritu's retreat. She knocked on the open door. Arnav nodded his head.

"Come in"

"What is all this?" Khushi asked.

"Why are you asking me? Ask your sister..."

"Sister?"

"Yeah... she is the one who is filtering with me"

"I'm not talking about it. Research of Mind... staying at Lucknow for a few months... all this"

"Then, what do you want me to say? They should not suspect us... that's all"

"I'm going to ask him about the case... I can't pretend like there is no enmity between him and my father. I can't be friends with those who are the reason for my parent's death" she said helplessly.

"No... not now. Please... I can understand, Khushi but we have no choice. Trust me... I will make everything alright"

Said nothing, she walked to the exit and stopped.

"Look, stay away from Ritu..."

Arnav controlled his smile.

"Don't think, I'm jealous of her..."

"I didn't say so..."

"We don't know with which intention they are here... Don't be casual with her"

"Just because I'm casual with you... it doesn't mean I will be casual with all the girls... and, I know what I'm doing" he said seriously.

Khushi left her room, said nothing. Arnav sighed with a smile.

To be continued...