Thank you for your lovely comments. Here is Chapter 10.
Let me know how it was.
Enjoy!
Chapter 10
Please note I retain sole ownership of all the works of fiction on this blog so please do not reproduce or alter my work and claim it as your own.
Arnav
walked towards Khushi, though his feet were cautious as they
proceeded to their destination. Khushi was looking down at her feet
and tapping her feet anxiously. He didn't know how to apologize to
her. She didn't know how to vocalize her apology to him. Khushi
finally looked up to find Arnav staring at her and merely a feet away
from her.
“I
am.....” Both said simultaneously and stopped abruptly hearing the
other. Looking everywhere but at each other, Khushi and Arnav once
again stood in an undisturbed silence.
Having
had enough, Arnav mustered his courage and an almost whisper left his
lips.
“Sorry”
Khushi's
eyes opened wide and she looked up at him in shock. He was looking
straight ahead at the front door, ignoring her stare.
“What
did you say?”
Arnav
shot an annoying look to Khushi, not wanting to be Arnav any longer
and weakening his resolve of making it up to her.
“I
said what I did. If you didn't hear it, it's not my mistake!” Arnav
said roughly.
“No,
I did hear it, but what I meant was, why?”
Arnav's
eyebrows scrunched in confusion and he looked at her with a puzzling
expression.
Understanding
his unasked question, Khushi quickly added, “I mean that I should
be apologizing for interfering without having any right to do so. I
am sorry. I shouldn't have said all that to you in the first place.”
Her face was filled with regret and guilt, while her eyes were trying
not to tear up in front of him.
Arnav
stared at her face and felt a pain enveloping his heart. His heart
ached to see her in such a condition. He wanted to erase that
distress from her face and he was willing to take off ASR's mask for
her, just for once, just for her.
“No,
Khushi. I shouldn't have shouted at you like that nor said all that.”
Arnav said while watching different emotions playing on her face.
First
she was confused when she heard his first words, then relieved to
know that he wasn't angry with her, but then, simply amazed to have
him apologizing to her, even though he didn't use the magic word
now.
“No,
Sir. It was all my fault. I shouldn't have crossed my line and be so
open with you. I didn't have any right to.”
“Khushi,
stop! I said that it was wrong on my part to shout. You were just
being....you....!”
“But
Sir, if I hadn't pushed you to that extent, this situation would have
never risen. I am so terribly sorry, Sir. Please forgive me.”
“It
was my fault as well. You didn't know. It's all because of my anger.”
“No,
it was my mistake, Sir. Definitely not yours.”
“No,
Khushi. It was my fault.”
“No,
Sir. How can you say that? It was entirely my fault.”
“KHUSHI!
I am your boss and if I say that it was mine, then that means it was
MINE!” Arnav gritted, very annoyed and frustrated to not being able
to have her agree.
“No,
Sir. You are my boss and that's the exact reason for why it was
mine!” Khushi said, as stubborn as she was to have her point
accepted, without caring about any other end.
“What
the!!! I said it was mine!”
Before
Khushi could again argue back, the guard stepped in the scene and
said, “Sir?”
“WHAT?”
snapped Arnav, turning to look at the guard with anger burning in his
eyes.
“No....nothhingg
Ssirrr. The buildingg....is oppen!” The guard stammered and quickly
left the pair alone to go back to his duty, cursing himself for
meddling in the first place.
While
the guard definitely interrupted their “apology" session, he
helped Arnav and Khushi realize what they were doing in reality,
instead of apologizing. Khushi begin to fidget in her place, while
Arnav looked here and there, both unsure on how to proceed from here.
Arnav closed his eyes, turning slightly away from her, trying to
control his temper and sticking to his resolve.
Finally,
Khushi made the first move, inwardly not wanting ASR to come back
into action and take advantage of the silent, unsure person in front
of her.
“I
made this cake for you.” She said and raised the box towards him.
Arnav
turned to look at her, a gentle and a suave look honoring his face.
Seeing that innocent, yet remorseful look on her face moved his heart
in ways he never imagined. His hands moved on their own and held the
box. Khushi's lips finally curved into a wide smile, while her eyes
twinkled.
“Thank
you. Thank you so much Sir. You don't know how much this means to
me.”
Arnav
came out of his trance, trying to grasp the meaning of her words.
“What?”
“The
cake. You accepted the cake as my apology. It's a rainbow cake that I
always make for my Jiji whenever she is upset with me.”
He
finally looked at his hands, which now held a plastic round box. He
could see a rainbow cake in it, indeed, but it was also decorated
with chocolate icing, a smiley face made with rainbow sprinkles, and
a cherry on top. A smile formed on his lips, while a warmth entered
his heart. He looked up at Khushi to find her grinning openly at him.
Forgetting
everything for once, his lips opened to let out a soft whisper,
“Thank you.”
Even
though, at this precise moment, those simple words from his mouth
felt like the most precious gift, Khushi gingerly nodded and smiled
at him.
“But
I can't eat it!”
The
smile turned into a frown, while Khushi's eyes opened wide.
“But
why? You just accepted it.”
Arnav
looked at her, the smile still evident on his face.
“I
am diabetic” said Arnav regretfully.
“WHAT?”
said a shocked and surprised Khushi.
Arnav
kept looking at her in the same way, taking in her reaction and
printing the memory in his heart.
“I
am so sorry, Sir! I didn't know. I swear! I would never ever had made
it for you if I knew. Erm.....but you don't worry. I know many other
recipes which are sugar-free. Yes, right! And you know what? I make
excellent jalebis and for you specially, I'll make sugar-free
jalebis. Yes! That's what I'll do!” Khushi finally looked up at
him, grinning triumphantly, finishing her monologue which was
actually more of her self-talk than a response to the man looking at
her bewilderedly.
Arnav
finally shook his head at her antics and said, “Well, you don't
have to do all that. I'll eat it!”
“What?”
Khushi quickly snatched the box from his hands, while Arnav raised
his eyebrows and looked at her confused.
“Why
will you eat it when you are diabetic? What if something happened to
you? Hey Devi Mayyia, raksha karna!” Khushi closed her eyes to send
a silent prayer to her Devi Mayyia, along with an apology for making
this cake. Feeling a tug at the box, she opened her eyes.
“I
can eat it today, Khushi.”
“How
can you eat it today when you have diabetes? You have diabetes and
you don't know how dangerous sugar is for you? What if....”
“Khushi,
listen to me! I didn't have my breakfast or my medicine today. So I
can eat it.” Arnav explained patiently, knowing fully well that
losing his control would mean another argument ensuing right away.
“Ohhh.....”
Khushi finally let go of the box and waited for him to eat the cake,
right there, in front of her.
Understanding
what her look was implying, Arnav spoke, “Khushi, I think we should
go in. We are still outside the building and I am definitely not
eating out here.”
Khushi
looked around and felt embarrassed at herself for not realizing it
priorly. She nodded her head and followed Arnav in the building and
all the way to his cabin. Not desiring to have another such situation
arise, Khushi went toward her cubicle as Arnav went to open his
cabin's door.
Arnav
looked back to find Khushi settling herself at her usual place.
“Erm....Khushi?”
“Yes,
Sir?” Khushi said, while turning to face Arnav.
“Can
you come in my cabin? I have the data for the presentation in my
laptop.”
“Of
course, Sir.”
“And
Khushi?”
“Yes,
Sir?”
“Thanks.”
Khushi
watched Arnav enter his cabin, with a smile still playing on his
lips. Khushi grinned, ear to ear as she still stared at the closed
door. Quickly gathering everything needed for the presentation, she
made her way toward the cabin, only to stop mid-way.
Khushi....he
called me Khushi? He did call me Khushi! Hey Devi Mayyia, I never
imagined that Laad Governor will actually listen to me and call me by
my name. Not that he is such a bad Laad Governor. I mean, he still
is, but in a good way. Thank you Devi Mayyia!
Khushi
happily knocked on his cabin and entered upon hearing his voice.
Arnav was busy typing something on his laptop, while Khushi came
forward and made herself comfortable in one of the chairs facing him.
Khushi's smile lessened a bit as she saw the cake, placed on his
table, in the box, untouched.
He
finally looked up to find a little frown on Khushi's recently happy
face. Arnav found Khushi staring at the cake intently and understood
what was going on in her brain.
“I
was just opening up the notes. I'll eat it now.”
Khushi
looked at Arnav, a childlike expression on her face as if she had
finally gotten the toy she had been asking for. She watched as Arnav
opened up the box, but her smile turned upside down once again as he
stopped.
“What
happened? Don't you like how it looks?”
Arnav
nodded his head in negative. “Actually I was thinking that I can
only eat little bit of it. What will I do with the rest?”
“Oh....well,
I'll eat it. I have quite a sweet tooth.” Khushi grinned at Arnav,
while he gave her a surprising look.
“But
how can you eat after me or vice versa?”
Finally
understanding the situation, Khushi said, “Ohh....ermm......Wait!
I'll be right back!”
Arnav
watched as Khushi ran out of his cabin. Through the glass wall, he
saw her disappearing in the right corridor. Two minutes later, she
was running back to his cabin, grasping something in her hands.
He
watched as she placed two plates, a fork on each, on the table. She
looked at his confused expression and giggled a bit.
“Actually,
Amanji showed me where all the cutlery stuff and snacks are kept for
the faculty and staff.”
Without
waiting for a response, Khushi proceeded to divide the cake in two
parts, a huge piece on her plate, while a moderate size, with the
smiley and cherry on it, on Arnav's plate. Both ate the cake in
silence, stealing glances every now and then.
Khushi
threw the plates out when both finished and placed the leftover cake
in one corner. Though she knew by now that Arnav was a man of few
words, she still looked at him, hoping to hear some response to the
cake. However, Arnav had already began working on his laptop when
Khushi was cleaning the table.
Feeling
her stare on him, Arnav looked up at Khushi. He raised his eyebrows
in question, while she scrunched her eyebrows in response. It took
him a few seconds to grasp what she was trying to convey.
“It
was good.”
Khushi's
face brightened with a smile and she gladly accepted his response,
knowing that it meant much more than expressed. She quickly begin to
set up the presentation on the desk computer, which Arnav had
adjusted to face her, along with the keyboard, while he worked at his
laptop. The next two hours went by, preparing for the presentation.
The staff and faculty came around 9:00, but did not dare interrupt
the “meeting,” not intending to witness anymore of ASR's temper
after yesterday. Khushi and Arnav worked diligently, without any
arguments and with an amiable interaction between both.
So, how was it everyone? I hope this equates for my late update. :)
Let me know what you think about it.
Amazing update...
ReplyDeleteLoved it..
Thanks for the PM..
-SITHU08
superb update.....its jst wonderfullllllll....
ReplyDeleteso cute both of thm...
thnx for such stuff..
spartan08
Awesome update..
ReplyDeleteLol..They r fighting over for saying sorry also...God know what would have happened if the guard have not interrupted them..
Loved it to the core..Very well written
Continue soon
-Chandana.S
omg tht was such a beautiful update...
ReplyDeleteshe made cake he ate..
haaayeeeee.
loved it
continue soon
rkapoor1382
amazing update
ReplyDeleteloved it
very well written
continue soon
thanks for the pm
drunkiiebabe
Absolutely wonderful update. Loved it. Please update next part soon.
ReplyDeleteWOW... that was a superb update...
ReplyDeletei really loved this story very very mush yaar...
Arnav being ASR to everyone but he doesn't want to be like with khushi...
ASR asking sorry... i didnt expect that...
both fighting for saying that they are at fault was so so cute..
arnav took khushi's cake...
both are falling for each other...
totally beautifully written...
waiting for the next update dear...
i really liked this update!Arnav was sooo cute!n the whole cake bit was awesome!
ReplyDeletedamonzlady
totally loved it....
ReplyDeletearnav askd soory!!!!!!
cake part was very cute....
beautifully written
tanx 4 d pm..
continue soon
kamalapushpa-if