“Hello!”
The moment arnav uttered the universal word in a delicate way, the word travelled in light speed and reached the recipient. But the recipient is not in the same mood to take forward the discussion in a light way.
“Come and meet me at 6’ p.m at Greenyards cafe.” The voice
ordered and was about to end the call when arnav interrupted hurriedly.
“Hey aakash… wait wait… I’m coming to office tomorrow. We can meet there itself.” Arnav added in haste hoping to deliver his message before Aakash would cut the call.
Luckily Aakash stayed on line and spoke in annoyance before ending the call “If you've an ounce of care towards your peaceful life then come and meet me. The choice is yours.”
Arnav frowned at the unusual seriousness in aakash voice and wondered about the possibilities. He took away the mobile from his ear and stares the blank screen with an uncanny expression when he felt a soft touch on his forehead. Khushi who has returned back taking few cookies, noticed his lost form. And the crease on his forehead detested her. Kept aside the tray, she supported herself on her toes and gently stroked the worry lines on his forehead.
“What happened?” She asked in whisper still soothing the lines.
Arnav came out of his musing and melts under her care “Huh… Nothing.”
“Are you sure? You seemed lost.” She asked not convinced by his reply.
“Who would not be okay having a pretty wife hovering over you sweetly expressing her concern!” He whispered tucking her loose tendrils behind her ear and took few in between his fingers to twirl and play with it.
“J...i...” She stuttered at the proximity, shifting her fingers to his shirt taking few in her tight grip.
He frowned hunching backward “Still Ji?”
She pursed his lips and lowered her head in shyness as she guessed what is coming on the way.
His lips formed a proud smirk seeing his effect on her. Urged by her reaction he nuzzled her cheeks “What happened?”
She nodded soundlessly in denial and wriggled on his hold and he chuckled at the way she's behaving. It’s not that he is caging her in his arms yet she's wiggling as if he imprisoned her.
“Stop tickling my wrong nerves.”
“Huh…” She snapped her head in confusion as her innocent brain failed to fathom the underlying meaning behind his words.
He gulped seeing her hazel eyes which carries a weird mix of curiosity, confusion, innocence with a tinge of naughtiness curled on some corner on the back. He took sharp breaths and let it fan on her cheeks.
“Call me Arnav.” He ordered huskily that has the power to sweep her off feet and make her do anything yet the deep rooted morals kept her grounded and stopped her from calling him out without respect.
She stumbled for words to escape from this situation “Ar..navji.. I..”
“I feel like an old man when you call me with that stupid suffix.” He muttered in annoyance, distancing himself from her.
“That you are arnavJI!” She giggled at his sulking form and flickered his nose at the given space before sprinting away from him like a butterfly.
“Excuse me!” He cried and chased her inside the four walls until he conveniently cage her under him.
“You’ve developed lots of guts meri bewiJI.” He stressed the last word pressing her under him at the same time.
She gripped his shoulder in reflex and sniffed cutely “Don’t call me with JI. It’s not right.”
“Achaa… What about you calling me with that stupid endearment?” He scoffed nuzzling her cheeks sending her to exhilaration.
“I said truth only. You’re 8 years elder to me.”
“8 is just a number but we’re equal partners in life khushi.” He explained patiently contrary to his impatient fingers which is roaming uncontrollably on her soft collar bone anticipating to cross the barrier.
His words didn’t register on her brain as she’s busy gulping at the puresync of his fingers and her own heart which is dancing at the rhythm of his fingers. She’s equally fretful and excited about the upcoming move. Her brain curiously followed the pattern of his hands and his breath.
“Khushi it’s not scornful to call your husband by his name when he has no problem with it. It’s so casual these days.” He added further lowering his hands only to get prohibited by her tender palm.
His eyes dilated and an instant jolt revolted him. A wave of pure loathe rushed through his veins making him feel so callous of his own self. Immediately he withdraw himself from her and sloched down beside her.
‘Where the heck had you left your brain arnav? How can you behave like this with that little girl without knowing her wish? You’re almost near to force your desire on her. Who gave you the right? Neither tying the sacred nuptial on her neck nor the official papers paves way for you to behave the way you want with her. She’s still a child goddammit!’
While he dwelled himself in the sea of self loathing, khushi seemed puzzled. She’s not that naive to not understand where their actions were heading as she has a vague idea of everything if not as a pro. But she stopped him for a reason as a flash of something hit her hard. Without getting answers, she cannot proceed further as it’s a matter of life and death for her. But as soon as he withdrew, she was loss of words and now she’s reluctant to raise the same query in front of him. She looked him through the corner of her eyes and bit her lower lips seeing him unresponsive. Passing shallow breaths, she fidgeted with her fingers calling each and every divine to give her some courage to open up the topic. Destiny smiled at the love birds and showed her mercy by granting their wishes.
Khushi turned to her left after mustering her courage and arnav also rolled to his right at the exact moment with guilt dripping from his whole frame. Not wanting to waste a moment, he cupped her cheeks “I’m… I’m… really sorry khushi. I shouldn’t have behaved like that without your concern. I… This will not happen henceforth. I promise there wouldn’t be anything which you detest in our life. Forgive me this time.”
Throughout his guilty apology, khushi wore a perplexed expression. Until halfway she doesn’t even realise the reason behind his apology. And latter way she has no idea how to stop him from guilt trip because it was entirely different from what she’s disturbed with. Yet she has to take a step forward to clear the big question of her life.
Gulping her nervousness she forwarded her shivering hand to his face which he caught halfway and enclosed safely in between his palms “Khushi!”
“Aap… You… I mean…” Sweat beads formed on her forehead as she stuttered to frame her doubt into a meaningful question.
“You can tell me anything khushi.” He encouraged her by gently pressing her fingers along with his soft eyes contrast to his inner turmoil. He's actually scared for repercussion of his previous action.
“Haveyoulovedsomeone?” There she asked what disturbed her and what started to nag her around the corner lately, to be precise after she peeked into his mobile.
His brows furrowed in no time “Excuse me?” He further noticed her scared form, eyes tightly closed, quivering lips and numerous lines on pale forehead. She’s a sight of frightened kitten.
Scared to wits, he rewind her words with difficulty and adds enough lapse between the words to fathom the question ‘Have you loved someone?’
He couldn’t help but swallow the bubbling laughter. Here he was dying thousand deaths thinking his actions affected her drastically but she’s giving deathly expressions for what? NOTHING!
Petrified at the null response, khushi squinted her eyes, presuming her question angered him. But what she saw made her eyes wide as saucers. He was stifling his laugh by burying his face on the pillow.
“I wasn’t joking.” She mumbled in less audible voice, feeling vulnerable by his reaction. From the moment her eyes caught that girl hugging her husband neck on photo, her brain couldn’t rest in peace. Even though he changed her mood, she couldn’t help but wonder about the possibilities of his love interest, especially when that particular girl in question is sending her wrong signals from the first impression itself. But when her question is considered as hoax tears brimmed in her eyes. Will her rajakumar allow that? He hunched forward and kissed her eyelids letting that salty water to immerse behind the closed lids.
“Shh… Shh… Don’t cry biwi. My heart WAS vacant but not anymore.”
“What?” She sniffed opening her eyes.
“It was vacant all along until a small girl knocked down it’s boundaries.” He said with a smile clearing her remaining tears away.
“Really?” She resembled a confused child wanting to be coaxed by his excuses yet there's something in her wanted reconfirmation. Not to say she has no doubt on that small girl who knocked his heart boundaries as actions speak louder than words.
He flickered her nose “Yes, really biwi!”
That’s it, next moment he found himself on his back as khushi pushed him out of her way.
“KHUSHI.”
“You made me cry for no reason.” She complained sniffing away her watery from nose.
“Then what you expect me to do after asking a stupid question.” He scoffed hugging her from behind.
She flared her nose and pinched his palm which is resting on her waist “It’s not stupid for me and continue where you stopped.”
“Ouch… Cut your nail little girl.” He clearly failed to hear her later part of confession as the pinch came unexpected.
“I am not little girl.”
“That you’re! Even if you pinch me the truth is not gonna change.” He teased earning an another punch from her.
Rubbing his stomach, he enclosed her again in his arms “Jokes apart, I arranged for meera’s commuting. A van will pick her from our home on morning and drop her at evening. She doesn’t need to rely on public transport henceforth.” He said remembering the morning when he offered her the ride to school and she looked uncomfortable and scared to take his help.
She spun around and grazed his stubble with her lips in gratitude “You’re so nice arnavji.”
“And tomorrow your study materials will be here along with a new pc. And make sure meera to use those facilities too. You both need that in this stage. Don’t take unnecessary garbage in your pea sized brain like you took now. Your whole concentration should be confined to your studies only. Understood? And one more thing, you know right, you can come to me for anything at anytime?”
Khushi shook her head vigorously like an obedient, innocent child, awwed by his management capabilities in everything not knowing people will not remain same always. And a flawless person is purely a surreal.
NEXT PART
NEXT PART
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