Chapter 12

Hello my lovely readers!

One thing I want to make clear after the last update:  Shyam is NOT lusting for Khushi.  He surely is a complicated character, bit shady, but he does not mean harm to Khushi.  At least, not intentionally!

I have also cancelled the comment code.  So no one should be having problems due to that!  Let me know if there is anything else.

Enjoy! :)

Chapter 12

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 parked his car outside Olive Garden, since that was the only restaurant in their route back to IBM.  Khushi immediately unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped out.  While Arnav had just locked the car, Khushi was already going up the steps to the entrance.  Arnav simply followed her, thinking that if she is this eager to enter, then she will probably finish her lunch faster and they can leave sooner.  But of course, he didn't know Khushi well enough yet.

ASR entered the restaurant to find Khushi already seated at a table and ordering her food.   He sat on the chair opposite her and Khushi faced him with a smile.

“Do you want to order for yourself or should I order?”

“No. Just soup and salad with breadsticks.” Arnav said while turning toward the waiter.

As the waiter left, Arnav looked back at Khushi to find her looking at him with her mouth slightly open and her eyes widened.

“What?”

“You are just going to have some soup and salad with those bland breadsticks for LUNCH?”

“Yeah, why?”

“But you only had some cake today. You yourself said that you didn't even have breakfast. How do you even survive with eating so little?”

“Excuse me?” said Arnav, feeling a little offended since no one had ever really pointed toward his diet like this.   But right at that moment, their table began to fill up with their orders.   Arnav just stared at the food pilling up in front of him, his eyebrows rising up in astonishment.   On their table lay, a plate of Bruschetta, Caprese Flatbread, Lasagna Fritta, and Smoked Mozzarella Fonduta.

“Sir, Ma'am, enjoy your appetizers.  Main course will be served shortly.”  The waiter said and left.

Moments later, Arnav still sat in the position and watched Khushi pile up her plate and eat almost everything as if she had been hungry since the last week.  He couldn't comprehend that how can such a slim girl digest so much without gaining any fat.  Khushi, on the other hand, was enjoying her food merrily.  She was famished since the last time she ate was four hours ago.  Yes, she did have a quick breakfast, but she was too upset to eat well in the morning.  Then she only had that piece of a cake, so she obviously had to eat now.  She finally looked up at Arnav and stopped eating.

“Arre, your plate is empty. You haven't even touched anything. Don't worry, I won't mind if you eat from my order. Here, try this Lasagna Fritta, you'll like it.” She offered with a smile on her face.

“Did you order main course for yourself as well?” said Arnav, trying to ignore her offer.

“What? I am offering Lasagna to you and you are worried about my main course.   Oh, now I understand, you don't want me to go hungry.   But don't worry na.   I ordered enough for me for the main course as well.  I'll be fine.  But try this na?”

Arnav gulped, looking at the Lasagna and the cheese.

“No. I don't like it. I'll just have my soup and....”

“Salad with breadsticks.  I know, but those are the most regular things to be eaten.  You should try different things always.  So, here, try this.”

Khushi placed a Fritta on his plate and waited expectantly for him to eat.  Arnav kept looking at the Fritta and Khushi, unable to decide what to do.  Not wanting to show his weakness to her, he finally managed to take a small bite.   Just seeing the food going in his mouth made Khushi content and she resumed her eating.  She failed to notice the disgusted expression on Arnav's face, how he was having trouble chewing that thing in his mouth, and having difficulty pushing it down his throat.

Khushi looked up once again to make sure whether he is eating or not and found his face wrinkled in disgust.  Her face filled with concern and worry for him, unable to understand the reasons.

“What happened, Sir?   You didn't like it?   Is something wrong?”

Arnav immediately shot an angry glare at Khushi, not caring about anything but that thing gliding down his throat.   Khushi scrunched back in her seat, slightly scared of what wrong she had committed now.

“Sir?”

Seeing the fear in her eyes, Arnav looked away from her since he, once again, didn't want to vent on her without her fault.

“I....I....erm....don't like it.” He finally managed to utter, without looking back at her, not wanting her to poke fun at him.

“But why, Sir?” said Khushi, straightening in her seat, curious to know the mystery of why anyone would not like Lasagna Fritta.

Arnav shot an annoyed look to Khushi, but spoke, “I don't know. I just don't like cheese.  It's too gooey.”

Khushi's frown turned upside down and she began to laugh uncontrollably.

“You....Arnav....Singh..Raizada....don't....like....cheese.....” She finally managed to speak along with her laughter.

“KHUSHI! ” A harsh and a steel-cold voice left Arnav's lips.

Khushi tried to stifle her laughter, but was quiet unsuccessful.

“FINE!  You enjoy your lunch. I am leaving! ” Arnav said and stood up to leave.

Attempting to stop him, Khushi stood up and held his wrist.

“Oh, I am sorry, Sir.  I didn't want to upset you.   I just never knew someone who didn't like cheese like this.” She said, with a genuine concern for him and honesty in her words.

“Well, I don't!”

“Sorry na? Please?”

Arnav looked at Khushi's pouted face and forgot his anger in her innocence. As Khushi felt his expressions relax, she held his hand and made him sit again. Though at this moment, Arnav and Khushi actually realized that they were physically touching each other for the first time. Arnav sat in his chair, while Khushi stood beside him, still holding his hand, but both lost in each other's eyes.

A sudden movement on the table abruptly ended their eye-lock. Both instantly let go of their hands and looked at the table. The waiter was replacing the appetizers with the main course. Khushi, nervously, made her way back to her chair and sat down. She looked at Arnav, who was intently looking at the food being laid on the table.

Khushi spoke first, breaking the ice and trying to revert things back to normal, “Well, you don't have to eat Lasagna now. You can enjoy your soup, salad, and breadsticks.” She forced a smile on her face as Arnav looked up at her.

“Uh....yeah.” Arnav gave her a tight smile and began his lunch.

The rest of the lunch resumed in complete silence, other than the occasional sounds of their eating or cutlery. Arnav and Khushi stole glances every once and now, but looked away just as the other looked in either direction.

As lunch ended, the waiter came with the bill and placed it on the table. Both Arnav and Khushi placed their hands on the bill to pick it simultaneously.

“Khushi, I'll pay. Leave it.”

“No, Sir. I'll pay. It's fine.”

“No, Khushi. I will take care of the bill.”

“Sir, I cannot accept that. I always pay even if I go out with my friends.”

“Well, I am your boss and I am paying.”

“I said na, Sir, I'll pay. Why don't you listen?”

“I don't listen? Khushi, you are not listening! I am paying the bill, and that's it!”

“But I always pay my own bill. I am paying it today as well.”

“Khushi, you....”
“Excuse me, Sir? Ma'am?”

“WHAT?” Both said at the same time to the waiter who dared interrupt them.

The waiter quivered a bit at their uproar but held his stance and spoke, “I can arrange for two bills, one for each, according to the orders. If you want, that is.”

Khushi and Arnav both looked at each other, back at the waiter, again at each other, and looked away.

Before Arnav could refuse the waiter, Khushi quickly spoke, “Yes, please. That will be the best option. Thank you!” She gave a warm smile to the waiter, who visibly sighed, took the bill, and went to arrange for two separate bills.

“Khushi, why did you....”

“You were right, Sir. You are my boss, not my friend. So I have no right to pay your bill.” Khushi said with a tight smile, though Arnav did not miss the hurt and disappointment in her voice.

“I didn't....”

“Sir, Ma'am, your bills.”

Without another word, both paid their bills. Khushi avoided even looking at Arnav, while Arnav kept glancing back at her. Khushi quickly stood up and proceeded to the exit, while Arnav followed her.   

As Khushi stood by the car waiting for Arnav to unlock it, he simply stood next to her, intentionally not unlocking it.

“Sir, we are getting late for work.” Khushi said in a steady tone.

“Erm....actually....can I ask a favor from you?”

Khushi looked up at Arnav, whose eyes held a strange warmth at the moment, while his face was still his straight-self.

“Yes, Sir. Anything.”

“Can you call me Arnav?”

Khushi's eyes opened wide, and her jaw dropped down. “WHAT?”

“Why are you surprised, Khushi? If I can call you Khushi, why can't you call me Arnav?” Arnav said as if it was nothing of importance.

“But.....Sir.....I.....you....how....”

“Khushi, only in private. Not in front of the staff.” Saying this, Arnav smiled at Khushi and unlocked the car. He sat in the car and buckled himself when he noticed that Khushi was frozen in the same place, confusion printed all over her face.

“MISS KHUSHI KUMARI GUPTA, GET IN THE CAR RIGHT NOW!” shouted Arnav through the window.

Hearing his roaring voice, Khushi quickly came out of her trance, opened the door, sat down, and buckled herself in less than 10 seconds. She looked at Arnav who was looking ahead but had a smirk playing on his lips now. Arnav began to drive out and to IBM, while Khushi continued to gape at him.

“You can stop staring now, Khushi.”

“Huh?....what?.....ohhhh” stammered Khushi, while she still couldn't look away from him.

Knowing exactly how her mind must be working right now, Arnav looked at her. His face was serious, while his eyes held a hint of guilt.

“I didn't mean to hurt you then.” He again looked away to the road ahead.

“So, you asked for the favor just to seek forgiveness?”

Arnav instantly looked at Khushi, and he saw her lips curved downward in a frown, while her voice again held the same hurt.

“Khushi....no.....I....”

“No?”

“No....I mean.....yes.....but.....” fumbled Arnav, unable to understand how to handle this situation.

“Okay. So does that mean that if in the future, I need to make you do something, I should simply act hurt?”

“WHAT?”

Arnav looked at Khushi, who now had a wide smile on her face, with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Khushi chuckled and said, “Well, yes, Mr. Raizada. You surely are not an easy man to crack, you know. Since you didn't let me pay the bill, I had to do something to get back at you. And I also knew that you won't be happy to see me angry.” She laughed, looking at his state.

“What the! Khushi! How can you be so childish? And what do you mean by crack?”

“Absolutely nothing, Arnavvv.”

Though Arnav was about to blast her for tricking him, his brain and mind stopped as soon as he heard his name from her mouth. Her soft, sweet voice and his name. It gave him a warm feeling. Just as her touch did. But it was just more intense than the touch even.

Arnav shook his head at her innocence and resumed driving without answering her back. The way back was filled with Khushi's blabbering, Arnav's little responses or none at times, and Aman's phone calls for the meeting for which ASR was late already by 10 minutes.

So, how was it?  

I know, I changed the font.  I just had few people ask for it since they use their phones or smaller devices to read updates, and cursive is not clear enough.  I hope this helps. 

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