Khushi floated into LaANK an hour later completely elevated. She felt as though the huge weight that had been pressing down on her ever since the fateful night in Sheesh-Mahal had finally lifted allowing her to breathe wholly again. She pranced around the empty office, not even realizing that something was amiss with the scene in front of her. She skipped happily about between the desks in the D-Squats and looked up towards the glass windows of Arnav’s office. As soon as she saw his office she jumped up from her chintz and crossed the office space, up the stairs and into his cabin, wanting to desperately see him, to share the good news of her happy reunion. After all, he was the one who had pushed her to go, the previous night and then this morning when he had offered to drop her to the mandir on his way to Crown-Plaza, even though she knew that would be completely out of the way for the two places were on opposite ends of the Delhi. Thus she had declined saying that this was something she had to do on her own. He hadn’t argued although she wished he had for at that moment she wanted nothing more then to have him ride with her to the mandir. Instead he had gazed at her for good measure and then when he finally stood up to leave had come next to her, crouched down and said something she never would have expected him to say.
‘This is very brave of you Khushi, what you are on your way to do. I’m…I’m proud of the strength you are showing, to take on this task all by yourself, as you should.’ With that he got up and left, stopping only for a moment at the door to look back at her as she gaped at him from the couch, completely astounded by the fact that Arnav Singh Raizada had not only complimented her but had said that he was proud of her. With the glow from his words set in her heart she had made her solitary way to the mandir, not feeling alone anymore.
As soon as she entered his deserted cabin, something gnawed at the back of her mind, but she ignored it, instead walked in and sat down in one of the two chairs that were opposite to his, waiting for him, still not realizing that it wasn’t right for the office to be this empty on a show day. As she waited for him, the mischeivious Khushi inside of her (who had been away for too long) crawled out - fuelled from the events of this morning - she got up, walked around the table and sat in his chair, taking his stance.
There in his chair she began mimicking him, the way he sat at the desktop. The way he glared at anyone who was sitting opposite him, intimidating them; her on many of their first encounters. The way he spoke on the phone, barking orders rather than asking nicely. The saying you catch more flies with honey than vinegar was one he had never clearly heard of.
She was in the middle of one such converstation with an imaginary Aman, when someone joined her without her realization, as her back was towards the door for she now sat on his table next to the desk-phone that was in her hand, while her feet swirled his swivel chair around. ‘Yes Aman. What the-? Don’t you even know this much….you are so in-incom-incompy-incompy….uffo….Laad Governor kahinke…saying such annoyingly long English words….nevermind…. scene change, ah yes….Aman! Just because I didn’t call you doesn’t mean you’re fired!! You-‘
‘What the-?’ Arnav’s sudden voice startled her and she went completely rigid. ‘Khushi, what are you doing?!’ he asked in exasperation. Here he had been worried sick as to what was taking her so long in getting to the auditorium, making him curse himself for giving into her insistence of going alone instead of driving her there as he had desperately wanted to, and all the while she had been sitting in his office role-playing. That too quite well if he may say so, he hadn’t realized she had observed him that well, mimicking his voice and mannerisms perfectly….but that was not the point!
Khushi turned cautiously around to take a peek at him, as if hoping that somehow she had imagined his husky voice, but of course she hadn’t for there he stood in the door way, glaring at her, the glare she had been trying to mimick moments earlier. She shut her eyes and opened it again, just to make sure, while he stared at her incredulously.
‘Yes Khushi, no matter how many times you open and close your eyes, you will still find me standing here, because I am here!’ he stated as he walked towards her. Seeing and hearing him say the words finally drove the point across that he was in the room with her and had been for god only knew how long. Forgetting that her feet were resting on his chair she started to stand, only to find herself slip horribly and land flat on his office floor, with the desk phone tumbling down after her, because of course in her hurry to get up she had forgotten she was still holding onto the phone.
‘Hunh!’ THUD. ‘Arrgh….ouch…ugh!!’ she whined from the floor, as Arnav stepped around the table and came to stand next to her fallen form.
‘Khushi! When will you….never mind. Here.’ He thrust his hand towards her, to help her up, but in her horror of being caught, instead of taking his hand to get up she handed him the phone. ‘What-? Grr…’ he growled under his breath as he took the desk phone and slammed it on his glass desk and then went back to giving her his hand. She took it hesitantly. Once he had a good grip over her hand, he yanked her up hard, but for some reason she hadn’t been prepared for the pull, therefore slammed right into his chest as he pulled her up.
‘Ah—ouch’ he winced, as her head knocked up against the side of his chin. She stood for a moment up against his well-formed body, feeling every minute curve of his well toned muscles, until the shock of it washed away and she stumbled back awkwardly, keeping her eyes firmly on the ground.
‘You ok? Did you hurt yourself?’ he enquired, as he cupped her shoulders and looked her over.
‘Fine. Fine.’ She mumbled, shifting away from his hands as she rubbed her back, embarrassed by the situation and then suddenly she burst on him. ‘Ugh, where were you Arnav ji? Do you know how long I have been waiting for you? None of this,’ she gestured towards the table and floor, ‘would have happened if you had just been here, like you were supposed to be. Since when is Arnav Singh Raizada not in his office?!!’ she cried haughtily.
‘Excuse me? How is this,’ his voice rising an octave as he too waved at the desk and floor, ‘my fault?’
‘It…it just is! Where were you?!!’ she asked again, angrily.
‘At Crown-Plaza, where you were supposed to be too!’ He reminded her.
‘Crown-Plaza? What were you doing there? And why on earth would I go there?! I- HUNH.’ Her hands shot up to her face as her lips formed into a circle emphasizing her shock. She finally realized what the gnawing at the back of her mind had been for and why the office was so completely empty, because everyone was at the hall, preparing for the show in a few hours. ‘OH MY GOD!! THE FASHION SHOW!!! EEEE!!! WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE WAISTING OUR TIME, LET’S GO, THE SHOW WILL BE STARTING IN A FEW HOURS!!!’ she shouted, as she fixed her dupatta and started walking towards the door, completely infuriated with herself for forgetting.
‘Khushi. Khushi…wait.’ Arnav called behind her as she descended the steps.
‘What?’ she asked pivoting on the last one, causing herself to trip over it yet again, but Arnav caught her wrist before she fell.
‘Gaawd, Khushi slow down.’ He huffed.
‘How can you ask me to slow down? The show is in a few hours.’ She said, batting away his hand as she turned and began walking towards the exit.
‘Urgh. Khushi wait.’ He leaped after her yet again.
‘What?!’ she rounded on him annoyed for delaying her further.
‘I just….I wanted to ask how did things go at the puja? Are you….I mean, you being here….is everything ok?’ he asked tentatively.
‘Oh.’ She stopped tapping her feet and dropped her arms which had been bound around her chest out of annoyance. Then let a huge grin spread across her face as she recalled the events of the morning, letting it fill her up with happiness yet again and making her forget the anxiety she had felt moments before regarding the fashion show. ‘Oh. That. It went perfectly. Absolutely perfectly. Just like you said it would. You know my Bau ji even knew about it,’ she gushed out, unable to stop herself from telling him everything. ‘We all thought he didn’t and I was so scared as to how he would react when he would finally find out and how that would affect his condition. But he already knew!’ she bounded in front of him happily. ‘He over heard it all when my Amma and Bua ji found out in Lucknow…and he wasn’t angry, not one bit….ok well initially he said he was but later when he thought about it he understood….he actually understood Arnav ji and forgave me. And so did my Amma and Bua ji. We’re all one happy family again. I am part of the family again.’ She said bouncing up down, holding his hand, completely ecstatic with the good luck that had fallen upon her today.
Her happiness infused into him too, he was over joyed for how everything had worked out for her. And for the first time that morning he sighed in relief, glad that it had worked out between her family and her. He knew how important it was for one to have their family’s support, he couldn’t rest one bit if Nani or Anjali were angry with him and so understood the happiness that sparkled in her eyes very well and was thrilled to finally see it in her eyes. The darkness he had witnessed in Lucknow was now nowhere to be seen. Her eyes were bright, clear and pure, just like her, glistening with the bliss in her heart.
‘That is why I actually came here. To look for you and share this incredible news with you, because if it weren’t for you none of it would have happened.’ She beamed at him, still keeping hold of his hand.
‘Khushi…what did I do? It was all you…’ he said a little dryly, over come with emotion that she had wanted to share this with him.
‘No. Seriously Arnav ji. I mean it. If it weren’t for you and your encouraging words I probably wouldn’t even have gone, would have cowarded out of it. But you supported me, had my back, have had my back these last few days….and for that I could…I could actually kiss you…’ she said as she did without even thinking. The ecstacy bubbling inside of her made her lose sight of her inhibitions and before she knew it she had jumped onto her tip-toes, pressed one hand against his heart, placed the other on his shoulder and had laid a sweet peck of thank you on his freshly shaven cheek.
It was only when she moved out of the embrace and saw the shock etched on his face did the horror of her act reflect upon hers’, causing her to jerk her hand away from him, that had slid down from his shoulder back into the smooth curve of his palm. She clapped her mouth with her hands, as her eyes stared wide at him, in terror of what she had just done. She only managed a muffled sorry from behind her hands and then scampered out of the office and into a rickshaw before he could even move a muscle, for they had all been paralysed by the unanticipated onslaught he had just encountered.
Long after she had left, or maybe they were mere seconds, he didn’t know, time wasn’t something he was aware of in that moment. He slowly lifted his fingers to the place where her sweet lips had left an impression on his cheeks. He felt the spot; it still tingled, leaving him with a new feeling in the pit of his stomache. One he had never felt before: one that felt remarkably good.
When he finally came too his surroundings, brought out of his reverie by a phonecall from his ever bubble-burster PA, Aman, he flew towards the door in order to catch Khushi, but she was long gone by then. Annoyed with himself for missing her and at Aman for ruining the beautiful memory he had been in, he plugged himself in his jeep and was about to rev the engine when he remembered the reason why he had come into LaANK in the first place, to get a file that NK had left in his cabin the day before instead of keeping it with him like he was supposed to.
When he got to the ball-room at the Plaza (where the ramp had been set up for the models) Khushi was right in front him in a deep discussion with Mike, the male wardrobe designer. He tried to catch her attention but as soon as she caught sight of him she blushed deeply and turned away. He was about to walk over to her when someone called out to him telling him one of the sponsors was asking for him, not wanting to but knowing he had no choice he turned and walked in the other direction from Khushi, mentally rebuking himself for the time he had readily made NK the back stage manager while appointing himself to the task of dealing with the delegates. At that time he had never thought he would ever envy NK’s job, dealing with designers and models was not Arnav’s cup of tea, but today he wished he could some how swap, although he knew he couldn’t and so heavy heartidly he trudged away from Khushi to do what he was great at and left NK in charge of the only thing he knew NK could manage in an event like this.
It was not until hours later when Arnav finally found a moment to be with Khushi. She was alone in the dressing rooms, the models having all gone into the make-up section. She too was about to leave when he walked in. As soon as she saw him she crawled under the first dressing table and shut her eyes.
‘What the-?’ he voiced in bewilderment. ‘Are you hiding from me, Khushi?’
‘What?! Of course not.’ She squealed, not looking at him. ‘I’m just umm…very busy…’
‘Really? Doing what? Counting the dust bunnies at the Plaza?’ he asked amused with her childish behavior.
‘No. I’m….I’m looking for something.’ She amended.
‘What? You’re reason for hiding from me?’ he smirked, as he folded his arms, enjoying her embarrassment.
‘I’m not hiding from you.’ She said indignantly.
‘You do realize I can see you Khushi. Just because you have shut your eyes and cannot see me doesn’t mean I can’t either.’ He reminded to her.
Her cheeks turned darker as what he said registered to her. She hadn’t realized that, like a two-year old who thought just because their eyes were covered that meant that no one could see them just the same way they couldn’t. Yet she still kept her eyes shut, not wanting to look at him, still too embarrassed by what had taken place in LaANK earlier that day.
‘Khushi, why are you hiding from me?’ he asked, gently as he neared her.
‘I’m not hiding from you!’ she huffed as she finally opened her eyes.
‘Really, then what are you doing?’ he quirked his eyebrows in question.
‘I’m…I’m just chosing to avoid you.’
‘So you’re hiding.’ He stated, now at eye level with her, for he had crouched down next to her, much to her alarm.
‘No!’
‘Khushi….fine ok, you’re not hiding.’ He surrendered.
‘Yes. I’m not hiding.’ She maintained, though she clearly was.
‘Fine. Considering you’re choosing to act like a two year old, I’ll just get this over with until you decide to behave like an adult again.’ He changed track, seeing that he wasn’t going to be able to get a serious conversation out her at this moment. ‘I just came here to tell you that Mahainder has brought over your red sari, from the audition days, from LaANK, I want you to wear that when you walk out on the ramp.’ He related as he got up.
‘Ok. Wait, what?!!’ Khushi jumped up as she realized what he asked her, only forgetting that she was still crouching under the table and therefore hit herself hard on the head. ‘Arrgh.’ She moaned just as Arnav cried, ‘Watch it! You ok?’ he asked as he pulled her out from under the table.
‘Yeah fine…wait no! What do you mean me walk on the ramp?!!’ she asked.
‘Just that. What’s there not to understand?’ he asked confused at her inability to grasp it, while concernedly looking at the place where she was rubbing her head.
‘Why will I walk on the ramp?’
‘Because you’re the designer Khushi.’ Arnav said as if it was the most obvious thing, only she still didn’t understand.
‘Yes, so I dress the models in my works, who then walk out on the ramp, not me. I only did that in the auditions, because you left me no choice, what with providing me with the five grown brothers I never asked for!’ she iterated as she slapped away his hand that wanted to get a closer inspection of her head.
‘Khushi, you being the designer, will walk at the end of the show, once all of the models have modeled your clothes, so the world can see who designed the attire.’ Arnav spelled it out for her, a little annoyed now that she wasn’t grasping it and more importantly wasn’t letting him see her wound.
‘What?!! No way!’she suddenly shouted shocking him.
‘Uh. Yes way!’ he re-stated, taken aback by her sudden outburst.
‘No!’ she crossed her arms in defiance.
‘Khushi. This isn’t a debate. You have to walk out there.’ Arnav related calmly, wishing to calm her down too, but she continued to be distressed for some reason.
‘I can’t. Not in front all of those people. Have you forgotten the last time I was on a ramp in front of such a huge crowd. I ended up in your arms!!’ she pointed towards his chest where her body had nestled on their first meeting. ‘I am not walking out there! Find someone else.’ She crossed her arms again, definitively.
‘Khushi.’ Arnav smiled, as he now understood what this was really about. She, the loudest person he knew had stage fright. ‘Khushi don’t worry, you’ll be fine. If you want, someone can walk out with you, to avoid any of the accidents that generally seem to find you.’ He suggested as he lousily hid the amusement in his voice. ‘If you want I-‘
‘I’ll walk out with you Khushi.’ NK’s voice boomed out from behind, startling the two of them. When had he come in?!! Arnav stared at him angrily. ‘Don’t worry Khushi I won’t let you fall.’ He smiled charmingly as he came to her side, only he slipped a little over a stray cloth making Arnav snort aloud. ‘I swear. I’ll have you’re back, I’ll fall myself but won’t let you, promise.’ He amended, after having demonstrated his own lack of vigilance.
‘Erm…’ Khushi stared at him, not convinced and then at Arnav, she hadn’t planned on walking out at all and now she was to walk out with NK? ‘Umm….ok.’ she said, all the while staring at Arnav, hoping he may offer instead. She trusted him to keep her on her two feet better than NK, but considering he didn’t offer, she had to take up NK’s, causing him to clap his hands in excitement, startling her yet again.
‘Great than we’ll walk down the aisle together.’ NK chided, enthusiastically.
‘Ramp! It’s a ramp!’ Arnav corrected angrily, not at all liking the insinuation of the “aisle”. ‘You sure?’ he now turned to ask Khushi directly.
‘Umm….’ Khushi stared at him, completely unsure. She wanted him to ask, but he wasn’t! Why wasn’t he asking her?!!
‘Of course!’ NK beamed, as he stared between the two of them, not understanding why one seemed to look as though they were about to burst into flames and the other about to perish in those said flames.
‘Fine. Whatever. Just be ready in that red sari….’ Arnav said roughly, as he pivoted around and marched out of the room, shoulders puffed and nose flared.
‘This is very brave of you Khushi, what you are on your way to do. I’m…I’m proud of the strength you are showing, to take on this task all by yourself, as you should.’ With that he got up and left, stopping only for a moment at the door to look back at her as she gaped at him from the couch, completely astounded by the fact that Arnav Singh Raizada had not only complimented her but had said that he was proud of her. With the glow from his words set in her heart she had made her solitary way to the mandir, not feeling alone anymore.
As soon as she entered his deserted cabin, something gnawed at the back of her mind, but she ignored it, instead walked in and sat down in one of the two chairs that were opposite to his, waiting for him, still not realizing that it wasn’t right for the office to be this empty on a show day. As she waited for him, the mischeivious Khushi inside of her (who had been away for too long) crawled out - fuelled from the events of this morning - she got up, walked around the table and sat in his chair, taking his stance.
There in his chair she began mimicking him, the way he sat at the desktop. The way he glared at anyone who was sitting opposite him, intimidating them; her on many of their first encounters. The way he spoke on the phone, barking orders rather than asking nicely. The saying you catch more flies with honey than vinegar was one he had never clearly heard of.
She was in the middle of one such converstation with an imaginary Aman, when someone joined her without her realization, as her back was towards the door for she now sat on his table next to the desk-phone that was in her hand, while her feet swirled his swivel chair around. ‘Yes Aman. What the-? Don’t you even know this much….you are so in-incom-incompy-incompy….uffo….Laad Governor kahinke…saying such annoyingly long English words….nevermind…. scene change, ah yes….Aman! Just because I didn’t call you doesn’t mean you’re fired!! You-‘
‘What the-?’ Arnav’s sudden voice startled her and she went completely rigid. ‘Khushi, what are you doing?!’ he asked in exasperation. Here he had been worried sick as to what was taking her so long in getting to the auditorium, making him curse himself for giving into her insistence of going alone instead of driving her there as he had desperately wanted to, and all the while she had been sitting in his office role-playing. That too quite well if he may say so, he hadn’t realized she had observed him that well, mimicking his voice and mannerisms perfectly….but that was not the point!
Khushi turned cautiously around to take a peek at him, as if hoping that somehow she had imagined his husky voice, but of course she hadn’t for there he stood in the door way, glaring at her, the glare she had been trying to mimick moments earlier. She shut her eyes and opened it again, just to make sure, while he stared at her incredulously.
‘Yes Khushi, no matter how many times you open and close your eyes, you will still find me standing here, because I am here!’ he stated as he walked towards her. Seeing and hearing him say the words finally drove the point across that he was in the room with her and had been for god only knew how long. Forgetting that her feet were resting on his chair she started to stand, only to find herself slip horribly and land flat on his office floor, with the desk phone tumbling down after her, because of course in her hurry to get up she had forgotten she was still holding onto the phone.
‘Hunh!’ THUD. ‘Arrgh….ouch…ugh!!’ she whined from the floor, as Arnav stepped around the table and came to stand next to her fallen form.
‘Khushi! When will you….never mind. Here.’ He thrust his hand towards her, to help her up, but in her horror of being caught, instead of taking his hand to get up she handed him the phone. ‘What-? Grr…’ he growled under his breath as he took the desk phone and slammed it on his glass desk and then went back to giving her his hand. She took it hesitantly. Once he had a good grip over her hand, he yanked her up hard, but for some reason she hadn’t been prepared for the pull, therefore slammed right into his chest as he pulled her up.
‘Ah—ouch’ he winced, as her head knocked up against the side of his chin. She stood for a moment up against his well-formed body, feeling every minute curve of his well toned muscles, until the shock of it washed away and she stumbled back awkwardly, keeping her eyes firmly on the ground.
‘You ok? Did you hurt yourself?’ he enquired, as he cupped her shoulders and looked her over.
‘Fine. Fine.’ She mumbled, shifting away from his hands as she rubbed her back, embarrassed by the situation and then suddenly she burst on him. ‘Ugh, where were you Arnav ji? Do you know how long I have been waiting for you? None of this,’ she gestured towards the table and floor, ‘would have happened if you had just been here, like you were supposed to be. Since when is Arnav Singh Raizada not in his office?!!’ she cried haughtily.
‘Excuse me? How is this,’ his voice rising an octave as he too waved at the desk and floor, ‘my fault?’
‘It…it just is! Where were you?!!’ she asked again, angrily.
‘At Crown-Plaza, where you were supposed to be too!’ He reminded her.
‘Crown-Plaza? What were you doing there? And why on earth would I go there?! I- HUNH.’ Her hands shot up to her face as her lips formed into a circle emphasizing her shock. She finally realized what the gnawing at the back of her mind had been for and why the office was so completely empty, because everyone was at the hall, preparing for the show in a few hours. ‘OH MY GOD!! THE FASHION SHOW!!! EEEE!!! WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE WAISTING OUR TIME, LET’S GO, THE SHOW WILL BE STARTING IN A FEW HOURS!!!’ she shouted, as she fixed her dupatta and started walking towards the door, completely infuriated with herself for forgetting.
‘Khushi. Khushi…wait.’ Arnav called behind her as she descended the steps.
‘What?’ she asked pivoting on the last one, causing herself to trip over it yet again, but Arnav caught her wrist before she fell.
‘Gaawd, Khushi slow down.’ He huffed.
‘How can you ask me to slow down? The show is in a few hours.’ She said, batting away his hand as she turned and began walking towards the exit.
‘Urgh. Khushi wait.’ He leaped after her yet again.
‘What?!’ she rounded on him annoyed for delaying her further.
‘I just….I wanted to ask how did things go at the puja? Are you….I mean, you being here….is everything ok?’ he asked tentatively.
‘Oh.’ She stopped tapping her feet and dropped her arms which had been bound around her chest out of annoyance. Then let a huge grin spread across her face as she recalled the events of the morning, letting it fill her up with happiness yet again and making her forget the anxiety she had felt moments before regarding the fashion show. ‘Oh. That. It went perfectly. Absolutely perfectly. Just like you said it would. You know my Bau ji even knew about it,’ she gushed out, unable to stop herself from telling him everything. ‘We all thought he didn’t and I was so scared as to how he would react when he would finally find out and how that would affect his condition. But he already knew!’ she bounded in front of him happily. ‘He over heard it all when my Amma and Bua ji found out in Lucknow…and he wasn’t angry, not one bit….ok well initially he said he was but later when he thought about it he understood….he actually understood Arnav ji and forgave me. And so did my Amma and Bua ji. We’re all one happy family again. I am part of the family again.’ She said bouncing up down, holding his hand, completely ecstatic with the good luck that had fallen upon her today.
Her happiness infused into him too, he was over joyed for how everything had worked out for her. And for the first time that morning he sighed in relief, glad that it had worked out between her family and her. He knew how important it was for one to have their family’s support, he couldn’t rest one bit if Nani or Anjali were angry with him and so understood the happiness that sparkled in her eyes very well and was thrilled to finally see it in her eyes. The darkness he had witnessed in Lucknow was now nowhere to be seen. Her eyes were bright, clear and pure, just like her, glistening with the bliss in her heart.
‘That is why I actually came here. To look for you and share this incredible news with you, because if it weren’t for you none of it would have happened.’ She beamed at him, still keeping hold of his hand.
‘Khushi…what did I do? It was all you…’ he said a little dryly, over come with emotion that she had wanted to share this with him.
‘No. Seriously Arnav ji. I mean it. If it weren’t for you and your encouraging words I probably wouldn’t even have gone, would have cowarded out of it. But you supported me, had my back, have had my back these last few days….and for that I could…I could actually kiss you…’ she said as she did without even thinking. The ecstacy bubbling inside of her made her lose sight of her inhibitions and before she knew it she had jumped onto her tip-toes, pressed one hand against his heart, placed the other on his shoulder and had laid a sweet peck of thank you on his freshly shaven cheek.
It was only when she moved out of the embrace and saw the shock etched on his face did the horror of her act reflect upon hers’, causing her to jerk her hand away from him, that had slid down from his shoulder back into the smooth curve of his palm. She clapped her mouth with her hands, as her eyes stared wide at him, in terror of what she had just done. She only managed a muffled sorry from behind her hands and then scampered out of the office and into a rickshaw before he could even move a muscle, for they had all been paralysed by the unanticipated onslaught he had just encountered.
Long after she had left, or maybe they were mere seconds, he didn’t know, time wasn’t something he was aware of in that moment. He slowly lifted his fingers to the place where her sweet lips had left an impression on his cheeks. He felt the spot; it still tingled, leaving him with a new feeling in the pit of his stomache. One he had never felt before: one that felt remarkably good.
When he finally came too his surroundings, brought out of his reverie by a phonecall from his ever bubble-burster PA, Aman, he flew towards the door in order to catch Khushi, but she was long gone by then. Annoyed with himself for missing her and at Aman for ruining the beautiful memory he had been in, he plugged himself in his jeep and was about to rev the engine when he remembered the reason why he had come into LaANK in the first place, to get a file that NK had left in his cabin the day before instead of keeping it with him like he was supposed to.
When he got to the ball-room at the Plaza (where the ramp had been set up for the models) Khushi was right in front him in a deep discussion with Mike, the male wardrobe designer. He tried to catch her attention but as soon as she caught sight of him she blushed deeply and turned away. He was about to walk over to her when someone called out to him telling him one of the sponsors was asking for him, not wanting to but knowing he had no choice he turned and walked in the other direction from Khushi, mentally rebuking himself for the time he had readily made NK the back stage manager while appointing himself to the task of dealing with the delegates. At that time he had never thought he would ever envy NK’s job, dealing with designers and models was not Arnav’s cup of tea, but today he wished he could some how swap, although he knew he couldn’t and so heavy heartidly he trudged away from Khushi to do what he was great at and left NK in charge of the only thing he knew NK could manage in an event like this.
It was not until hours later when Arnav finally found a moment to be with Khushi. She was alone in the dressing rooms, the models having all gone into the make-up section. She too was about to leave when he walked in. As soon as she saw him she crawled under the first dressing table and shut her eyes.
‘What the-?’ he voiced in bewilderment. ‘Are you hiding from me, Khushi?’
‘What?! Of course not.’ She squealed, not looking at him. ‘I’m just umm…very busy…’
‘Really? Doing what? Counting the dust bunnies at the Plaza?’ he asked amused with her childish behavior.
‘No. I’m….I’m looking for something.’ She amended.
‘What? You’re reason for hiding from me?’ he smirked, as he folded his arms, enjoying her embarrassment.
‘I’m not hiding from you.’ She said indignantly.
‘You do realize I can see you Khushi. Just because you have shut your eyes and cannot see me doesn’t mean I can’t either.’ He reminded to her.
Her cheeks turned darker as what he said registered to her. She hadn’t realized that, like a two-year old who thought just because their eyes were covered that meant that no one could see them just the same way they couldn’t. Yet she still kept her eyes shut, not wanting to look at him, still too embarrassed by what had taken place in LaANK earlier that day.
‘Khushi, why are you hiding from me?’ he asked, gently as he neared her.
‘I’m not hiding from you!’ she huffed as she finally opened her eyes.
‘Really, then what are you doing?’ he quirked his eyebrows in question.
‘I’m…I’m just chosing to avoid you.’
‘So you’re hiding.’ He stated, now at eye level with her, for he had crouched down next to her, much to her alarm.
‘No!’
‘Khushi….fine ok, you’re not hiding.’ He surrendered.
‘Yes. I’m not hiding.’ She maintained, though she clearly was.
‘Fine. Considering you’re choosing to act like a two year old, I’ll just get this over with until you decide to behave like an adult again.’ He changed track, seeing that he wasn’t going to be able to get a serious conversation out her at this moment. ‘I just came here to tell you that Mahainder has brought over your red sari, from the audition days, from LaANK, I want you to wear that when you walk out on the ramp.’ He related as he got up.
‘Ok. Wait, what?!!’ Khushi jumped up as she realized what he asked her, only forgetting that she was still crouching under the table and therefore hit herself hard on the head. ‘Arrgh.’ She moaned just as Arnav cried, ‘Watch it! You ok?’ he asked as he pulled her out from under the table.
‘Yeah fine…wait no! What do you mean me walk on the ramp?!!’ she asked.
‘Just that. What’s there not to understand?’ he asked confused at her inability to grasp it, while concernedly looking at the place where she was rubbing her head.
‘Why will I walk on the ramp?’
‘Because you’re the designer Khushi.’ Arnav said as if it was the most obvious thing, only she still didn’t understand.
‘Yes, so I dress the models in my works, who then walk out on the ramp, not me. I only did that in the auditions, because you left me no choice, what with providing me with the five grown brothers I never asked for!’ she iterated as she slapped away his hand that wanted to get a closer inspection of her head.
‘Khushi, you being the designer, will walk at the end of the show, once all of the models have modeled your clothes, so the world can see who designed the attire.’ Arnav spelled it out for her, a little annoyed now that she wasn’t grasping it and more importantly wasn’t letting him see her wound.
‘What?!! No way!’she suddenly shouted shocking him.
‘Uh. Yes way!’ he re-stated, taken aback by her sudden outburst.
‘No!’ she crossed her arms in defiance.
‘Khushi. This isn’t a debate. You have to walk out there.’ Arnav related calmly, wishing to calm her down too, but she continued to be distressed for some reason.
‘I can’t. Not in front all of those people. Have you forgotten the last time I was on a ramp in front of such a huge crowd. I ended up in your arms!!’ she pointed towards his chest where her body had nestled on their first meeting. ‘I am not walking out there! Find someone else.’ She crossed her arms again, definitively.
‘Khushi.’ Arnav smiled, as he now understood what this was really about. She, the loudest person he knew had stage fright. ‘Khushi don’t worry, you’ll be fine. If you want, someone can walk out with you, to avoid any of the accidents that generally seem to find you.’ He suggested as he lousily hid the amusement in his voice. ‘If you want I-‘
‘I’ll walk out with you Khushi.’ NK’s voice boomed out from behind, startling the two of them. When had he come in?!! Arnav stared at him angrily. ‘Don’t worry Khushi I won’t let you fall.’ He smiled charmingly as he came to her side, only he slipped a little over a stray cloth making Arnav snort aloud. ‘I swear. I’ll have you’re back, I’ll fall myself but won’t let you, promise.’ He amended, after having demonstrated his own lack of vigilance.
‘Erm…’ Khushi stared at him, not convinced and then at Arnav, she hadn’t planned on walking out at all and now she was to walk out with NK? ‘Umm….ok.’ she said, all the while staring at Arnav, hoping he may offer instead. She trusted him to keep her on her two feet better than NK, but considering he didn’t offer, she had to take up NK’s, causing him to clap his hands in excitement, startling her yet again.
‘Great than we’ll walk down the aisle together.’ NK chided, enthusiastically.
‘Ramp! It’s a ramp!’ Arnav corrected angrily, not at all liking the insinuation of the “aisle”. ‘You sure?’ he now turned to ask Khushi directly.
‘Umm….’ Khushi stared at him, completely unsure. She wanted him to ask, but he wasn’t! Why wasn’t he asking her?!!
‘Of course!’ NK beamed, as he stared between the two of them, not understanding why one seemed to look as though they were about to burst into flames and the other about to perish in those said flames.
‘Fine. Whatever. Just be ready in that red sari….’ Arnav said roughly, as he pivoted around and marched out of the room, shoulders puffed and nose flared.
*****
RSS Feed
