Part 2 Alumni Function

OSM College of Arts and Science

The college campus was full of festivities and full of alumni. The old students of the college started arriving one by one. There was joy and excitement everywhere. As they met their friends after a long, they greeted one another with joyful hugs and inquired about their well-being. A few girls visited with their respective husbands and a few with kids. Their friends teased them by calling Aunty and got hit by them. Everyone seemed happy, oblivious to their own problems. All in all, everyone returned to their college days and felt like they were teenagers.

Everyone eagerly awaited the arrival of their close friends. So was Aman, Akash, and NK. They were waiting for their group to be completed. There was only one person needed to complete their team...Arnav Singh Raizada. For their friends, he was ASR and, for their college girls, he was ARNIE. Yeah, he was the heartthrob of their college girls. Girls drooled over him but his crush was on a particular girl who was his junior. A girl with difference...! The main difference was, that she didn't drool over on him. That was what attracted him. As time passed, he became her crush. They spoke a lot and became friends but never conveyed their feelings for each other. No particular reason... they just didn't... just like many college love stories...!

Today, they were going to meet each other after a few years.

A few lightning flashed on Aman's face when he saw his friend, Arnav.

"A...S...R...." he rushed to him and lifted him from the ground.

Akash and NK ran following him and took part in his happiness. They hugged together.

"How are you, man?" Aman asked.

"Doing good..." Arnav said. His eyes were not stable. They wavered.

"She didn't come..." Aman whispered.

Arnav looked at him disappointedly. Aman nodded yes. Arnav was distraught. He expected her to come to the alumni function. Aman, Akash, and NK smiled at each other contently. Arnav's face hung. Why not? He came from Scotland to attend the alumni function. He wanted to meet not only his friends but also Khushi.

"Why doesn't she come?" he asked.

"Payal said, someone is coming with a proposal"

"Proposal?" Arnav was shocked.

"Yeah... after all, she is twenty-six..." Aman said.

"Yeah... it's a big thing that her parents delayed her marriage so long" NK said.

"It was not her parents who delayed her wedding but Khushi herself," Akash said.

Arnav looked at him surprisingly.

"What do you mean?" Aman asked.

"Yes, Payal said, she rejected many good alliances," Akash said.

"Really?"

"Yes, she simply said that she didn't like them"

"She might have liked SOMEONE," NK said looking at Arnav.

"Maybe..." Akash smiled.

"Why didn't you tell me about it before?" Arnav questioned them.

"ASR, we are in the internet world. You are the only one who is not in touch with others, as if Scotland is in some other planet"

"I'm busy with my job... you guys have no idea how engaged I'm..."

"Is this the reason?"

"Yes... it is... if I get committed, I should have to spend time that was impossible for me... you guys don't understand" he walked off.

The trio smiled at each other and followed him.

Arnav stopped walking, seeing the Horse Stable. He gulped down hard remembering how Khushi was scared to be near her horse. It was a rule that criminology students should take responsibility for their horses. They should get used to their horse. Then only the horse riding would be easier. Khushi was scared to even stand near her horse. Then how would she get used to it? It was Arnav who helped her to do that.

Flashback

Their professor allotted a horse for Khushi.

"Khushi, give some grass to it and caress it" saying he went to the next student.

Khushi looked at her friends making a face. They gestured for her to do it. She moved towards the horse slowly, gulping down. When she came close to the horse, it snickered.

"Hey Devi Maiya..." she jumped backward with fear.

Students laughed at her and she pouted. That was when Arnav came forward. He walked to her and said,

"Come with me..."

She nodded no.

"I'm here... it won't do anything harmful. Trust me"

He went to the horse and caressed its face. Khushi moved towards the horse slowly. Arnav bent down and took a bunch of grass. He gave it to her.

"Give it to your horse"

She took it from him hesitatingly and extended it to the horse with fear, standing two steps away. In no time, the horse pulled the grass by the tongue.

"Ouch..." Khushi shouted as its salt paper-like tongue caressed her hand. She wiped her hand with her handkerchief, making a weird face.

Arnav controlled his laughter as he didn't want to make her feel bad. Clutching the horse's bridle, Arnav pulled its face towards him and said,

"Caress it..."

Khushi slowly touched it with her finger-tip. He slowly left the bridle when Khushi caressed it relaxingly.

"That's all" Arnav smiled.

"Thank you"

"My pleasure"

Flashback ended.

That was the first interaction between them. After that, they smiled at each other but rarely spoke with each other.

Arnav was thinking about it. He felt someone tapping his shoulder. He looked behind and found Aman standing. He gestured for Arnav to look in that direction. Arnav looked with disinterest. The next second, his face lit. He saw Khushi coming with Payal from the party hall. He forgot himself for a while. She didn't look like the same Khushi... she had changed. The bubbliness she carried on her face was missing. She looked mature. Her LOOK was so firm and clear. She didn't look at him as she was discussing something with Payal.

God had created many women but why did he give special attention to Khushi...? Why did he give extra attraction to her with hazel eyes, petal-like lips, silky hair, and a mole near her ear? To make him adore her? Arnav supposed.

"If you don't tell her how you feel, how would she know?" Asked Aman and brought Arnav from the dream world.

He looked behind and saw the trio standing, controlling their smile. Arnav understood they played with him by lying about the proposal.

"You said, someone is coming with a proposal?"

"Don't someone come with a proposal?" Aman asked.

Arnav rolled his eyes.

"You know what? Your behavior is not like a police inspector and lawyers... so childish...!"

"Then you behave like an adult..." NK teased.

"Go and talk to her, ASR"

Arnav looked at Khushi who had come close to them by now. In the crowd, she was unable to spot him.

"Hi, Akash," Payal said.

Khushi's facial expression changed, seeing Arnav who was smiling at her.

"Hi..." Arnav said.

"Hi..." she smiled.

"How are you?"

She nodded.

"What about you?"

He nodded.

All of them were looking at them.

Aman nagged Akash. He nodded ok and said,

"Payal, Arnav is here to fix his wedding," he said coolly.

Arnav looked at Khushi whose facial expression changed into a shocking one. She looked down.

"Is it?" Payal asked.

"It's not confirmed yet," Arnav said.

"Oh..."

"He is going to talk to her... am I right, ASR?" Aman asked.

Arnav looked at Khushi who didn't look at him.

"He will marry her if she likes him," NK said.

"Then talk to her," Payal said.

"Khushi" Arnav called.

"Haannnn?" she raised her brows.

"Shall we talk?" He asked smiling.

Khushi frowned with confusion. She looked at Payal who smiled brightly understanding the scenario. Khushi looked at Arnav who raised his brows.

"I would like to talk to you..."

"Whaaa...t?"

"Shall we meet tomorrow?"

"But, why?"

"To have a coffee together..."

"Go, Khushi..." Aman said.

"Accept his invitation," NK said.

She nodded ok.

"Thanks... now, enjoy the party," Arnav said.

She left the place smilingly.

"What's the matter?" Payal asked.

"Didn't we say, he is here to fix his wedding?" Akash said.

"You mean...?"

"Exactly that's what we meant"

"Really?"

Akash nodded yes.

"That's so good"

"Don't tell Khushi anything now" Arnav requested.

"Ok ok..." she left the place delightedly.

After that, Khushi's eyes were on Arnav no matter where she went and vice versa.

The party came to an end after giving them so much fun. Khushi wanted to take Arnav's leave. She waited for him. Arnav came to her and extended his hand for a shake. Khushi clutched his hand smilingly and her smile faded, feeling something in his hand. Arnav gestured for her through his eyes and said,

"Bye..."

"Bye..."

Arnav left her hand and she saw a paper in her hand. It was not just a paper but a letter. Khushi hid it in her bag hurriedly and left the place.

To be continued...