"um..jiji?"
Khushi called out to Payal who half lay on the sofa , the novel in
her hands..
"Khushi
! You aren't asleep? I thought you must have dozed off long ago"
"no..i..i
want to talk to you" she ran her hand through her hair...
"what
have you done?"
"excuse
me! Do I talk to you only when I have done something?"
"experience
Khushi..carry on.."
Khushi
sat on one of the arms of the sofa..
"er..jiji..i
wished to ask..like..suppose you get strange vibes from a
person..like, you know, you feel-"
"please
tell me this does not have anything to do with Arnav Singh Raizada"
"this
does not have anything to do with Arnav Singh Raizada"
"ok.
Go on.."
"ya..so
I was asking, suppose you, you know, when this person is with you,
you get these strange elephant kind of things, or sometimes
butterflies, or eagles, depends, and-"
"did
you hit your head somewhere?"
"what?
No, why?"
"go
on.."
"ya..so
I was saying, you get these creatures in your stomach and then you
just wish to run away from this person but invariably end up landing
with the same, and somehow you don't mind, but you should mind, and
still you don't, even if you know, and you think of that person, and
you don't want to think, you know you shouldn't, but still you keep
on writing mental essays, and-"
Payal
widened her eyes..
"Khushi
breathe. ya. Now listen, like it's often said, if you can't get
someone out of your head perhaps that's where they are meant to be,
but suppose the situation is desperate and you just can't afford to
think of a person, in any way, then you should simply distance
yourself away from him/her for a while.."
"you
mean I should break all communication links?"
"exactly"
"no
talking?"
"no
talking"
"no
meeting?"
"none"
" absolutely
no-"
"Khushi
you are again doing the same thing!do you want it or not?"
"you
are right! Fine then! No communication.yes. Good. Did I say I love
you?"
"the
last time such a conversation happened"
"good.
Hear it once more. I love you"
Khushi
marched up the stairs while Payal grinned and sighed.. "you try
dear..but I guess it's too late.."
no
talking. No meeting. No communication. No talking. No meeting. No
communication.
Khushi
kept chanting the mantra as she settled herself back among the
sheets. It was past midnight.
Her
phone buzzed beside her and she widened her surprised eyes at the
wall clock. This time??
cement
pile calling...
oh
shit!
This
man had made ruining her peace of mind ,the official aim of his
life..
ignore
Khushi, ignore...
No
talking.No meeting. No communication..she chanted while an Arnav
Singh Raizada who had improvised just the reverse plan-
talking.meeting.communication, seethed in fury as he merely heard
ring after ring, without any response whatsoever..
"Pick
up the phone dammit!" he muttered..
Khushi
was positive she wasn't doing it..
plugging
her earphones she played her favorite track on her i-pod and settled
herself on the wall behind, as sleep had totally evaded her..
but
who was listening to the music? Her eyes were fixed upon the flashes
on her mobile screen, which had been turned to silent mode..
1
minute- no I will not pick it up
2minutes-
as if he would stop calling if I picked up
2.5
minutes ' no communication, alright. But I can see how many missed
calls have there been right? No, wrong. I WILL NOT see..
3
minutes- oh my gosh! 5 missed calls?? is this cement pile crazy??
3.5minutes-
he will get mad if I don't pick up. Should I...NO! NO! NO!
4
minutes later-
"WHAT?"
"where
the hell were you?"
"in
my room. On my bed. Trying to sleep. Like normal beings"
so
she was blissfully sleeping! And here he...Arnav fumed..
"anyway,
why were you calling?"
Arnav
drew in a breath then spoke-
"talk!"
"excuse
me?"
"i
said TALK"
"ok.
I guess tonight on the 25th of August 2012, you officially
lost it Mr Arnav Singh Raizada"
"just
shut up! And talk"
"if
you would care to notice, we are not exactly having a telepathic conversation here. I am talking!"
"fine.
Keep talking"
And
here she had been thinking that perhaps she was the one who had lost
it..
"Arnav,
do you habitually call girls past midnight and order them to talk. In
fact, our history is ample proof that you specifically qualify past
midnight as THE ultimate time to give me a ring"
good,she
had begun..he sat with a satisfactory sigh while she grew silent at
the other end..
"now
what? Speak dammit!"
"i
don't know what is wrong with you, but I would suggest you do
something very soon about it. Be happy it's me at the other end,
since I have seen your worst side..otherwise people would seriously
doubt the future of AR.."
Arnav
clenched his fists..
"WHAT
THE HELL is your problem?? You speak 24*7! I am asking you to speak for straight 5 minutes and you behave as if I am asking you to shut up
for the rest of your life!"
"MY
PROBLEM is that you are not taking my talking as talking! In our
world Mr Raizada, sound coming from the vocal chord qualifies as
talking! I don't know what's it at your end"
"excuse
me?"
"excused"
"shut
up! I meant stop your nonsense, I am warning you"
"fine!
Good! I am sleepy. And I am discon-"
"Khushi!"
he stopped her..
this
man was ruining her entire plan of non-communication in the very
second hour of it's implementation..
"what?"
"i
was thinking since I am free of the burden of being responsible for
carrying the break-up-"
"EXCUSE
ME?" Khushi sprang up to a sitting posture on the bed..
"Of
course...i was taking responsibility of the breakup since I wanted
to evade the engagement. Now since that has already taken place, I
see no reason to trouble my head with it-"
"you
mean you are not interested in the break-up anymore??you mean you are
happy being my fiance??you mean you suddenly did a ditching U-turn
and-"
"i
mean" he interrupted "that I am very much interested in the
breakup. But I am in no way troubling myself with improvising a plan
for the same. The media hype is over, we are not bothered about our
engagement, there is an entire lifetime ahead to break-up, I have no
intentions of marrying anyone anytime soon so you can take all your
time to-"
"BUT
I AM! What if I want to marry someone else?"
"you
do?"
"no.
But it might be that I suddenly wish to. Then what?"
"then
you just break-up"
"what?and
you won't help?"
"i
see no need"
"you
are the worst accomplice on the face of this earth"
"my
pleasure"
"You
don't give two hoots about this relationship do you? And here I
am..forget it!"
she
cut the call and he stared at the phone with a ghost of an expression
on his face..what did she mean by 'And here I am?'.. was she
affected? Didn't she want the break-up? Did she want the break-up?
Why was she refusing to talk to him? Was it because she didn't want
to? Or was it because she was upset? Why was she upset? Was it
because the engagement had happened or was it because the break-up
could happen? Why was he giving a damn? Was it because he was almost
in a habit by now or was it because he was falling
in..in..that..disease..
(There
you go, Mr Raizada, see! Your plan worked! You are evidently not
thinking AT ALL..*ahem*)
He
panicked and picking up the phone rung her up again..
It
was thrice before she picked up-
"why
are you doing this to me?" she spoke first thing
"Khushi
be ready at 8 tomorrow. We're going for dinner. Sharp"
Khushi
couldn't believe her ears..was this some undercover plan to turn her
stomach into a zoo?
"no
we are NOT! And I am switching off my cell"
she
said that and threw her mobile on the sofa..this cement pile would be
the end of her..
Anjali
Singh Raizada was all 'Nihaal' at the RM breakfast table. It was
either about 'what Nihaal said', or 'what Nihaal did', or 'can you
believe what Nihaal had done?' or 'Nihaal told me'..
It's
strange how ,sometimes,while it remains completely oblivious to your
own self, a silent message gets screamed to everyone around you..how
you keep on ranting about a person, and while it seems so normal to
you, you get weird looks from people around, how almost everyone gets
to know a certain something at a time, when you yourself are far from
coming to the conclusion..
The
entire family by this time had a light amused smile on their faces..
As
for Arnav,his fingers placed over his chin, while his elbow rested on
the table, was by this time, looking at his sister with half opened
eyes and slowly chewing upon the sandwich in his hands...
Anjali
soon realized she was being closely inspected by her brother, and
for some reason, suddenly bent her head down and got a little too
immersed in eating her food, a blush having crept up her cheeks..
She
raised her eyes slowly to an Arnav who was still carefully assessing
her behavior without a word..
time
to backfire..
"Chotte,
I just completely forgot to ask you, what exactly had you and Khushi
in the kitchen right in the middle of a party yesterday?"
And
then it was Anjali's turn to look at her brother with half opened
eyes, slowly chewing upon her sandwich, while he had his head immediately
bent down and got a little too immersed in his food..
As
for the family, they were just happy that there was no need for
expression change. Light amused smile intact..
Aakash
and Payal stood in one of the silent corridors leading to the
library, a meeting which had been proposed by Aakash himself..
"what
was Maa doing in the library in the first place?"
"how
do I know?but, she must have painted a very pretty picture of
me..Anyway,Aakash did you finish the novel?"
oh
no..
"oh
yes! I finished it..wonderful peace of work I must say!"
She
smiled, then looked at him and asked..
"who
does the story revolve around?"
oh
shit..
"um..oh
yes! Whats his name..er..starts with A..i guess..i can't recall right
now.."
"you
never read the novel did you?"
"what?
No I did! I am sure it began with A..! er.." Aakash rubbed his palm
on his foehead..
"Neils
Hill"
(go
drown in a handful of water Aakash..)
"Yes!
That's it! Neils Hills! Yes!"
"Aakash.."
he
looked deep into her eyes..
"ok
fine..i am sorry I never read the novel. And if truth be told,
Payal...I am not into them altogether.."
He
said it and looked at her in anticipation of an impending storm..
There
came none, and instead, she smiled..
"i
knew it Aakash"
"what?"
"i
knew you never read the book..you needn't have lied you know.."
"i
see..i am really sorry Payal..i.."
"but
you still said it to make me happy.."
"um.."
"so
what are you interested in? I mean like I live for books, any
fascination?"
"i
am somewhat of a 'movie guy'.."
"i
see.." she smiled.. "well how bad could watching one movie be?"
she
said that and turned around..he was confused for a moment before the
words hit home and he hurried behind her..
"um..Payal,
would you like a movie this Friday?"
"oh..sure..where,
I mean.."
"oh
great! We have the home theatre at our place, no worries. In fact
bhai, Khushiji, di, Nihaal all could join"
"fine
then" she nodded her head and turned to go..then stopped mid way
and turned back to him..
"Aakash?"
"yes?"
"that's
the sweetest lie someone has spoken for me you know.."
moments
later the deserted corridor saw Aakash Singh Raizada doing fist pumps
in the air as he tossed his blackberry up in delight, then as his
action hit home, danced around with cupped hands to catch the poor
device which came crashing down on the floor..
Evening..
Khushi,
her head tied up in a careless bun, was playing with the pen in her
hands, as she closely studied an article before her..
There
was a ring on the door.. "must be bhai.." she muttered..
Nihaal
had been away for work the entire day...she frowned when she heard no
footsteps rushing up the stairs as was typical of Nihaal, to meet her
the first thing when he came home..
Moments
later Payal opened the room door..
"Khushi,
Arnavji is waiting for you downstairs"
"WHAT?"
she shouted...
"you
would know better! He said he had asked you out for dinner or
something..he's all ready and waiting.."
Khushi
opened her mouth then shut it.then again opened her mouth and shut it
yet again..
Then
eyed herself in the mirror and then she was sure..
"jiji
tell him I am not at home"
"Khushi!
I have already told him you are.."
"Shit!
Ok fine! Then tell him I am sleeping"
"at
8?? Khushi are you mad? I don't get it! What's wrong with you??"
"Jji
look at me! I am looking like a ghoul who has had a bad hair day! And
we never agreed on any dinner! I am not stepping out of this room"
"Khushi
you are looking like how normal people look when they are at home! Stop
over reacting! And what do you mean you haven't agreed on dinner.
Khushi! He is your fiance for heaven's sake!"
Khushi
opened her mouth to speak when her phone buzzed beside her..
cement
pile calling..
Payal
rolled her eyes and left the room.. Khushi received the call on the first
ring..and the first sentence was
"i
am not coming downstairs"
"you
very well are"
"i
am not"
"why?"
"what
why?"
"what
the hell is your problem! If it's the media , you yourself know that
since the engagement is already done the hype is far less now. Just
stop wasting time and come down"
"Listen,
please try to understand, for the sake of my stomach, I can't
communicate with you"
"what?"
"leave
it. You won't understand"
"i
didn't. Now just come down"
"why
are you so hell bent on taking me to dinner!! that is so 'un-you' "
(Try
to understand Khushi for the sake of his brain, he can't help but
communicate with you..)
"stop
making your own words and wasting time. I am waiting"
"Listen-"
"Khushi
are you coming down or should I come upstairs?"
"what?
You can't come up!"
"says
who?"
"says
common sense"
"i
am your fiance if you remember. And your mother I hear, is not at
home"
"you
can fall this low can you?"
"say
what you wish to"
"i
am not coming"
"and
I am already on the first stair"
"WHAT!
STOP THERE!"
"on
the second.."
Khushi
panicked. Hair tied in a careless bun, clothes crushed, face with pen
marks, no way he was seeing her this way..
For
some reason, it was almost a matter of panic that he shouldn't see her in an ugly state..she looked perfectly like any casually dressed person would
look at home, but right now, with Arnav Singh Raizada walking up the
stairs, she almost labelled herself Frankenstein..
"OK
FINE!" she shouted into the phone..
Arnav
smirked..in fact, he had been comfortably sipping tea on the living
room sofa all along..
"k
then, I am waiting.."
"it
will take time" Khushi rushed as she threw hanger after hanger on
the bed..
"how
long? Khushi it's plain dinner..just wear anything-"
"Can
you please leave at least my wardrobe choice to my own self?? it'll
take half an hour"
"what?
Fine.i am waiting"
"did
I tell you, you are a stubborn, mean, insensitive, cement pile who-"
"you
have 29 minutes"
"Urghhh!"
she groaned as she shut the phone and using all new phrases for her
cement pile got back to throwing hangers after hangers on the bed..
too
loud..
too
bland..
too
boring..
too
interesting..
15
minutes were wasted in just coming to decide on a dress..
yes,
it had taken 15 minutes to just decide on a dress, for a girl who
gave two hoots to what she wore normally, who was famous as the
fastest dresser in the family..
as
she finally adjusted the dupatta of her onion coloured suit, she
turned a full circle around the mirror assessing herself from each
angle..
hair..gosh
her hair!
Cement
pile calling...
"what?"
"Khushi
5 minutes"
"10"
"5"
"10
and that's final. Before I take 15 put the phone down"
"Khushi
you are not dressing for a wedding! It's just the two of us"
"ok
it's just 15! I am coming na! You wait!"
*click*
disconnected.
"what
the.." Arnav muttered in disbelief..
15
minutes later , Arnav Singh Raizada was literally hugging himself for
the wait..
Khushi,
her lush chestnut brown hair cascading down her back,in an elegant
onion anarkali , paired with pearl and silver earrings and high heels
cautiously stepped down the stairs one hand on the bannisters..
He
drew in a sharp breath involuntarily..as he felt his feet drag to the
bottom of the stairs..
Khushi
fumbled about with her purse, and her hair as she slowly met his eyes..
She
was on the second last stair when partially by virtue of her pointed
heels and partially the 'lets- stare-till-our-eye-balls-freeze' contest, she
lost balance and literally fell on an Arnav who partially by virtue of his uncomfortable position and partially the
'lets-forget-the-damn-purpose-of-this-date' mental condition took a
moment too long to register the impact..
Strong
perfume smell rushed up her nasal passage as Khushi gasped in
surprise..
"Easy.."
Arnav spoke at length..
'you
should bloody well have followed your 'no talking.no meeting.no
communication' plan Khushi Kumari Gupta' Khushi cursed herself as she
tried to untagle her hair from his coat button..
'you
should bloody well NOT have followed your
'talking.meeting.communication' plan Arnav Singh Raizada' Arnav
cursed himself as his already over-worked brain, seemed to be
evaporating into nothingness as he helped her with the same..
Khushi
hurriedly stepped back..
"i..i
am sorry..i am not used to heels.."
he
nodded..the best he could manage at the moment..
"why
didn't you wear something else then?" he said in a husky voice as
he led her out to the car..
<3
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