Chapter 9

Tonight would be her last night as Khushi Kumari Gupta. Tomorrow, by this time, she will have become Mrs. Khushi Arnav Singh Raizada. Somewhere in her heart, there was joy, there was nervousness but the most profound feeling was of sadness.

The tears were just beginning to prickle her eyes when a small stone clattered against the glass pane of her window. Frowning, and slightly startled, Khushi walked to the window, threw it open, and looked down.

Aman waved at her frantically from below, accompanied by Akash who grinned like a fool. Only when she looked hard did she see Anjali and Payal lurking in the shadows of her mother's garden's plantations.

"What?" Khushi mouthed.

"Come down!" Aman stage whispered.

"Right now? Why?" Khushi frowned, feeling ridiculous as she whispered like thieves in her own home.

"Just come down. From here." Akash gestured towards the window.

Khushi's eyes rounded. "I can take the stairs..."

"NO!" Aman hissed fiercely. "Maa can't know. Climb down."

Khushi threw a nervous glance over her shoulder. As far as her mother knew, Khushi was fast asleep after the exhaustion of the pre-wedding ceremonies. But still...why the hell did they want her to climb down from her window?

"Just jump. We'll catch you." Aman raised his arms up as if waiting for a small child to jump into the cradle.

"Absolutely not!" Khushi deadpanned.

"Oh come on...you're light as a feather and there are four of us here! We have this!" Aman stage whispered again.

Khushi held up a finger. "One minute!"

Khushi ran back to her bedroom door and made sure it was locked before she tied her hair in a messy ponytail.

With surprising agility and ease, Khushi threw one leg out the window, balancing her night slippers clad toes on the thin ledge on the outside wall, while she sat straddling the window ledge. Aman's jaw dropped slightly in surprise as she climbed out of the window completely, balancing herself on that two inch wide ledge. Holding on to the window for support, she reached out with one leg and one arm to reach the nearest set of branches of the tree growing just off the side of her window.

With feral grace, she climbed down one branch after another until she landed lightly on the soft damp grass and smirked at her brother and Akash's stunned expressions.

"What?" Khushi shrugged innocently. "How do you think Payal and I snuck out sometimes?"

Aman opened his mouth to admonish her but Akash intervened. "Save your arguments for later...we need to go!"

Akash grabbed Khushi's wrist and started leading her towards where Payal and Anjali hid. The three women giggled as they rushed with hushed footsteps towards the back gate of the yard. The gate, to Khushi's surprise, was open just enough to let them squeeze by. Soon after having tackled the gate, they rushed down the street towards Aman's SUV.

"Where are you taking me?! I'm in my PJ's!" Khushi argued even as Payal shoved her into the back seat.

"Don't worry...we've got you all covered." Anjali tossed her hair over her shoulder, sliding in next o Khushi while Payal flanked her other side.

Aman got in behind the wheel while Akash took the seat next to him. Khushi watched on, confused as ever, as Aman drive away from the house and onto the semi-busy roads of Mumbai.

She found herself getting annoyed when no one offered her any explanation and more over, they ignored her when she asked what they were doing. They stopped at a gas station and Payal and Anjali both scurried out of the same door, forcing Khushi to get out with them.

Shoving a bag in her hands, they led her to the dinky washroom and ordered her to change. Not in the mood to argue at this point, Khushi quietly changed into the navy blue Anarkali suit and slipped on the navy blue flats.

Well...clearly, we're not headed to the club...so much for my bachelorette party!

As soon as she stepped out, they whisked her away again and Khushi tried her best to ignore the weird looks they got from the cashier behind the counter. Once again, they shoved her into the car as if she were being kidnapped -and that is exactly how she was beginning to feel now"and then they were off once more.

A few long minutes later, Khushi realized that they had driven away from the urban area of the city and were driving towards the beaches. A few more minutes later, Aman veered off onto a dirt path leading into a small secluded beach area. Khushi could see lights glimmering ahead but Aman stopped a bit away.

Anjali stepped out and Khushi followed suit. It wasn't until she stepped out that she noticed the familiar car parked a little further down. As if on cue, the door swung open and out stepped her fianc, looking like a supermodel, dressed in black jeans, navy blue shirt, and a black vest to compliment his look.

Khushi forced herself to breathe and look away as he approached them. She refused to be caught staring!

"Here you go, man. She's all yours." Aman teased, making Arnav throw a nervous glance in Khushi's direction.

Anjali snorted rudely. "He thinks he's so clever!"

"I like to think I am, Ms. Raizada." Was Aman's quick response.

Anjali opened her mouth to retort but Payal interrupted. "Oh stop it you two. Even I am growing tired of these childish arguments...and if you two want to fight, let's set up a ring for you two and hand you a pair of boxing gloves but stop ruining their date."

"Date?" Khushi whirled to face Payal, surprised.

"Oh...um...yes. You have a date with your fianc and no, I don't want an over the top oh-my-god-what-the-hell reaction from you." Anjali rolled her eyes impatiently.

"I wasn't going to give you an over the top reaction...It's just that you guys didn't have to be so damned cryptic about the whole thing..." Khushi argued.

"I'm glad we did...how else would I have figured out how great my sister is at escaping through windows." Aman scowled and looked at Arnav. "I suggest you board up all the windows in your room...if she ever runs, it would be through there."

"Bhai!" Khushi gasped, feeling indignant while Arnav chuckled.

"You climbed out of a window?" Arnav's voice was amused, his eyes twinkled with humor and a smile tugged at his lips.

"Yes." Khushi answered, her tone challenging him to make fun of her for it.

Arnav's lips twisted in amusement. "That's impressive."

"Thanks..." Khushi murmured and looked at Aman. "Well?"

Aman sighed. "It's more adventurous this way. Yeah, you could have left smoothly through the main door and we could've told you where we were taking you but where's the fun in that?"

Khushi narrowed her eyes at him and Payal made an impatient sound.

"Stop killing time here and go! I am not giving you more than two hours...she needs her beauty sleep for the wedding tomorrow." Payal scolded.

"Why are women so bossy?" Akash blurted and regretted it the very next second when three pairs of eyes threw glares at him.

"I will speak to you about this later." Payal threatened and turned to Arnav. "Will you just take her and go?!"

"Khushi?" Arnav called out to her and Khushi's heart raced at the way her name sounded from his mouth.

Every. Damn. Time.

She nodded lightly in approval and walked to him until she came to a stand next to him. Together, the two bid goodbye to their friends and siblings and turned away. Arnav gestured for her to walk ahead and as usual, he walked next to her.

They walked in companionable silence until he suddenly came to a stop in front of her, his hand held out. Khushi twisted the end of the duppatta more harshly as her eyes darted between his face and his hand a couple times.

"Trust me?" His voice was so warm, so relaxing.

Khushi found herself holding his gaze and accepted that even though she didn't know him that long...trust him, she did. Slowly, she lifted her hand and placed it in his, marveling at the warmth and gentleness of his hold.

He led her around the small hedge of bushes until they were on the beach. Her lips parted in a pleasant surprise as she took in the view.

There was a small table with two chairs, draped in white tablecloths. The setting was centered in a large oval of small candle lanterns along with a few Tiki lanterns shoved into the ground. The waves of the ocean faded a few feet from the table and as they got closer, she noticed a thermos with two classy coffee mugs. There was also an ice bucket in which a small champagne bottle sat alongside an equally small bottle of wine. Of course, to go with those drinks, there was a pair of long stem glasses perched next to the ice bucket.

"I figured it's a tad bit late for dinner." Arnav shrugged, noticing the question swim in her eyes. "And I didn't know what beverage you might prefer."

A shot of vodka to calm my nerves, please!

Smiling at him, Khushi took a seat when he pulled out the chair. All of this seemed a bit familiar but for the life her of her, she couldn't recall where she'd seen this before.

Maybe some movie...or maybe I read it in some book...

Arnav watched with bated breath as she looked around, taking in her surroundings. She looked absolutely beautiful. With no makeup or jewelry, a plain navy blue outfit which made the green in her eyes pop out, the dark, deep red of the henna on her hands arms, and the candle-light reflecting on her bright face...she looked ethereal.

"You did all this?" She questioned.

Arnav chuckled and shook his head. "I wish I could take all the credit but no...This was a very last minute plan so I've had a lot of help from the gang."

Khushi nodded thoughtfully. "It looks so peaceful...I could sit here all night."

Arnav smiled widely. "I don't think Payal and Anjali will be very happy about that."

"No, I don't think so." Khushi chuckled.

"Champagne, wine, or coffee?" Arnav gestured towards the two bottles and thermos.

For some reason she didn't know, Khushi laughed at his question. Never in her wildest thoughts had she considered this date and the fact it was actually happening was so bizarre that she found it amusing. And the question itself was so odd...Champagne, wine or...coffee.

Of all the things... Khushi curbed the urge to roll her eyes.

Her eyes settled on the bottle of red wine but she dismissed the thought immediately. Would he judge her for choosing wine? She didn't even remember if she told him that she drank occasionally. She decided to play safe...for now.

"I guess I'll go with the coffee." She smiled

He looked amused, like a parent who knew that their child had done something wrong but listened to their no, I didn't do it' explanation anyway.

"Really?" He raised an eyebrow. "I've picked up news that you like to have a glass of wine sometimes..." Dismissing her choice of coffee, he reached for the bottle of wine.

"Anjali told you?"

"Who else...?" Arnav gave her a lopsided smile. "You apparently like to keep things from me...especially your likes and goals."

She seemed apprehensive as she glanced from the bottle in his hands to his face.

"Khushi, I'm not going to judge you for drinking alcohol..." Arnav spoke with the tone one would use with a child.

Khushi felt herself relax at his words. She didn't what the hell she was thinking when she thought he might be upset if he found out that she drank. Didn't Indian culture expect an ideal girl to not drink?

Drawing from his assurance, Khushi sat back in her seat. "Wine sounds great. I could use a glass to calm my nerves."

"Cold feet?"

Khushi lifted her gaze to meet his. Was he worried about her backing out??

What the heck?

"No...just...pre-wedding nervousness." She paused for a second as he worked the corkscrew. "You?"

"No. No cold feet." An amused smile played on his lips as if he were enjoying a private joke while he poured out the deep red liquid into a glass. He lifted his glass for a toast as he handed her hers. "To the last night of bachelorhood."

Khushi smiled a little wider. "To the last night of me being Ms. Khushi Kumari Gupta."

She clinked her glass with his and took a sip but he didn't move at all, his eyes watching her keenly, trying to decipher her words and expressions.

"You've...given your married name a thought?"

Khushi shrugged. "Naturally..."

"And what have you decided on?" He took a sip of wine to soothe his suddenly dry throat.

Blood rushed to her cheeks on cue as he made her say the name out loud but she wasn't going to fall for it. "I'll be dropping the Kumari Gupta' to take on your full name."

His eyebrows knit together slightly with a tinge of disapproval as he mulled over her answer. He set his glass on the table and leaned a across the table slightly.

"Can I make a suggestion?" Arnav held her confused gaze and let the respect he had for this woman shine bright in his eyes. "Make it Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada."

Khushi burst into a small laugh at the lengthy name he suggested and he watched her with a frown.

"I'm serious." He stated matter of factly.

The laughter stopped instantly and her eyes rounded slightly. "Oh..."

He sighed as he leaned back in his seat, his eyes never leaving hers. "I don't want you to lose your identity just because you'll be getting married. You are Khushi Kumari Gupta...why should that change just because you decided to get married?"

"But culturally"" Khushi began but he interrupted with an impatient shake of his head.

"Damn the culture. No one is forcing me to become Arnav Gupta...why shouldyou have to get rid of your name? Khushi, your birth certificate, your degree, all your certificates and awards, everything has your maiden name on it because that who you are. I would like you to keep your maiden name and just attach your married name to it. Of course, the decision is yours but...this is just my opinion."

Khushi looked away guiltily. It's not that she agreed with the tradition of the girl dropping her maiden name to take on her married name...She actually wanted to go for Khushi Gupta-Raizada' but truth be told, her mother had put her foot down and refused flat out.

"Maa won't like it..." Khushi murmured.

"I think she'll accept it if you tell her that I made you keep your maiden name." Arnav shrugged. "We'll talk to your parents together...that's if you want to keep your name."

Khushi slowly pulled her eyes away from the serene waves to the serene face in front of her. Suddenly she felt overwhelmed. His ability to figure out what she wants without her saying a word about it was scary but heart-touching as well. Her hand automatically reached out and curved over the one he had rested on the table. She saw the surprise on his face as his eyes glanced down at their hands.

"Thank you." Khushi gave his hand a small squeeze before withdrawing.

She stared down into the deep red liquid as she took another sip from her glass. Arnav decided to change the topic and jumped at the first thought that came to his mind.

"How's the wine?" His chin pointed slightly in the direction her wine glass.

And so began their conversation about wines which led to popular countries for wines which led to countries they'd visited and wanted to visit in the future which, in turn, led to the conversation of a Bucket list or a list of things they wanted to do.

The conversation shed a light on the similarities in their hobbies. Although they preferred old Hindi songs, or classic international songs, they also kept up-to-date with the music of the current day and age. Though they preferred to sit down with a good book, they sometimes went out to have some fun with their friends and loved ones. Although they both loved travelling and seeing new places, their favorite place to be was at home with their family.

Arnav didn't even realize when he only had a few minutes before Payal and Anjali would come back to take Khushi away. Just as the thought crossed his mind, Khushi brushed a strand of hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. He had an opening for the next bit of the conversation.

"Where's your ring?" Arnav questioned.

Khushi looked down at her left hand and then looked at him sheepishly. "It's at home. I took it off for the mehendi and then decided to keep it off for the halditoo...I didn't want any of the pastes to get into the tiny grooves."

"Okay." He nodded and then looked at his watch suggestively. "I think I should take you back to the car. They'll be back any minute."

Khushi gave away none of the disappointment she felt. This date had been absolutely perfect. She was having such a good time that she didn't want to leave. She stared out at the waves while he sent a text message. Then she stood up reluctantly to follow when he stood up. They'd barely taken a couple of steps when he spoke up again.

"Hey...do you want to see a magic trick?"

"Um...sure...?" Khushi frowned, unsure of what had brought this on or where he was going with this.

"Close your eyes." He stopped walking and turned to face her.

She looked at him speculatively and the amusement returned in his eyes.

"Trust me?" He whispered again.

Damn him! Khushi sulked internally knowing that he was going to use that statement a lot in the future. Since she did trust him, she closed her eyes dutifully. She strained her ears to hear something"anything"but she picked up nothing.

"Khushi?"

His voice had changed. It was confident but she didn't miss the slight tremor of nervousness. His voice was almost soft, cajoling, and hopeful. She opened her eyes and the very next second, her eyes rounded and her hands flew up to cover her mouth even as her jaw dropped.

Whatever she had expected to see, it wasn't this!

"You ring isn't at home." He stated matter of factly.

There he was...kneeling on one knee, holding up her engagement ring, a lovely smile on his gorgeous face.

Khushi's heart raced and speech deserted her. All she could do was stand there and stare at him with utter shock.

Is he really doing this?!?!

"It's kind of too late to ask if you'll marry me..." He shrugged impishly. "You agreed to marry me when you barely knew me but now...you know me a bit better...so I guess I'll ask you this: Are you sure you want to marry me?"

Behind her hands that covered her mouth, Khushi's lips curved into a big grin before giggles shook her body.

And she had thought this date couldn't get more unreal!

And of course, as every proposal warrants, tears rushed into her eyes because of a different reason altogether. This feeling was like having hoped for something for a long time, then losing that hope altogether, and then your wish coming true in the blink of an eye when it was least expected.

Seeing her reaction, Arnav couldn't help but grin widely as he waited for her to come to terms with his surprise.

"Oh, My God! I can't...I don't believe this..." Khushi took a deep breath and blinked rapidly to blink away some of the tears before she looked down at him. "I've never been more sure than I am at this moment...so yes...I'm sure I want to marry you."

Arnav's heart stuttered a beat at her words. She lifted her trembling hand for him and he held it in his as he slipped the emerald engagement ring on her ring finger, where it rightfully belonged. Still holding her hand in his, he stood up, unable to stop grinning. The unmasked joy reflected in their mirrored grins.

She couldn't ask for anything more at this point.

This was her dream proposal: A dinner date on a beach with candle lanterns all around and ending with the cheesy proposal. He'd made her dream, one of her deep buried wishes, come true!

As everything clicked in her mind, Khushi looked back at the table and the setting before her eyes scanned the beach and then returned to his face.

"How did you know?" She breathed, her heart still beating in an ecstatic rhythm.

"I have my sources..." He smirked. "Do you want another surprise?"

Khushi took a trembling deep breath, still aware that he hadn't let go of her hand. "I don't know if I can handle another one today..."

Arnav tilted his head to the side, towards the bush. "They've got the whole thing on a video and pictures."

Khushi's head snapped in the direction and the very next second, Aman, Akash, Payal, and Anjali scampered out from behind the bushes, cameras and phones in hand. Arnav gently let go of her hand as everyone made their way towards them.

"You're engaged!!!" Anjali announced, making a beeline for Khushi.

"You told him!!" Khushi's mind finally processed the detail at the same moment Anjali crushed her into a big hug.

"Your reaction was so perfect!" Anjali chuckled. "Tears of joy and all!"

"I think this is one of the best proposals I've seen...the fact that this is an arranged marriage makes it even more special!" Payal spoke dreamily.

Akash made a mental note: Payal will be expecting a cheesy proposal.

"Aren't you glad you let us kidnap you?" Aman ruffled Khushi's hair as he gave her a hug as well.

"Here! Let me get another picture of you two!" Akash positioned Arnav and Khushi side by side and held up the camera.

Automatic smiles lit up their faces as Akash snapped a picture and the next few minutes were spent clicking more pictures with the group of them. Finally, Payal and Anjali decided it was time to go.

"I'm sure you want to look good tomorrow, Khushi...I'll never forgive you if you're sporting dark circles for your wedding pictures." Payal draped an arm around her friend and started walking towards the cars while the others followed.

"Give me a minute...I need to talk to him." Khushi spoke quietly.

Payal scoffed. "What? The last two hours weren't enough?"

"I need to talk to him about the proposal." Khushi rolled her eyes.

Shaking her head, Payal let go of Khushi and walked ahead while Khushi slowed down to fall in step with Arnav. He smiled down at her but didn't slow down as they headed towards the car. Khushi tugged at his elbow to gesture him to slow down. He finally caught on and slowed down more.

"Everything okay?" He glanced at her sideways.

"I just wanted to talk to you...well...I wanted to thank you." Khushi smiled at him.

"For what?"

"Multiple things. You always seem to know what I want even if I don't say it...first letting me finish my degree...then the whole thing with the married name...and now the proposal..." Khushi glanced down at the ring, reliving the sweet memory. "I just want you to know that I really appreciate it...you've done so much since we've gotten engaged while I've done pretty much nothing to return the favor."

He stopped walking and Khushi turned to look at him, coming to a stop as well.

"I'm not keeping count Khushi...nor am I expecting anything in return for what I'm doing." He shrugged. "I told you...I like making my family happy...granted that we've barely known each other for a month but the fact remains that you're my fianc. You're a part of my family and I will do everything that I can to make you happy."

"Let me return the favor then!" Khushi pleaded, feeling selfish. "Let me do something for you..."

"Show up at the altar tomorrow." He countered, his tone teasing her.

Khushi caressed the gems on her engagement ring. "I just promised that I'll be there."

He smiled at her but the seriousness didn't leave his expressions. "Khushi, I'm not keeping count...and I don't want you to feel obliged to do something for me...I'm sure I'll need you to do something for me at some point but we'll cross that bridge when we get there...we have an entire lifetime for that."

Khushi smiled and nodded gently, holding his gaze with hers. "We do..."

Simultaneously the two took a step towards each other and shared a friendly embrace that silently promised companionship. Khushi chose to ignore the cooing and aw-ing behind them as she pulled away from him.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Khushi took a step backwards.

He walked forward as she continued to walk backwards. "See you tomorrow."

With a last smile and another blush, Khushi turned around and walked towards the awaiting crowd while he followed. Leaving Akash, Payal, and Anjali with Arnav to pack up everything, Aman and Khushi got into the car and drove off.

That night, rather than brooding over leaving her parents' home, Khushi fell asleep watching the moonlight flickering on the ring on her hand, and thinking about the future that awaited her as Mrs. Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada.

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Chapter 8

As the three of them made their way through the arrivals gate, Anjali's eyes immediately scanned the crowd for her family. She caught a glimpse of her father and her tearful mother waving in frantic excitement at her.

Leaving Arnav and Khushi to follow, Anjali practically ran to her parents and flung her arms around them as the floodgates opened and tears of happiness rolled down her cheeks.

Khushi also rushed up to greet her parents while Arnav walked up to them casually, with an impish smile on his face.

He was a happy man. His sister was back, his family was ecstatic about the impending wedding, his fianc was a beautiful woman with a kind heart, and he had just spent the last 16 hours sitting next to her. Thankfully, the flight was made more bearable by the conversations they'd had about random topics, amusing conversations between Anjali and her, and then conversations with all three participants.

Naturally, the more he spoke to her, the more familiar she became and the more familiar she became, the more he was drawn to her. He had also begun picking up on small things that she did unconsciously--the way she would blush any time the conversation veered in the direction of their future together, the way a mischievous glint entered her eyes when she spoke to Anjali, the way she would shyly glance away when she caught him looking at her, the way she would toy with the necklace she wore when she was in thoughts.

Not that he would admit it to anyone right now, but he was enjoying spending time with her.

When Khushi parted from her father and turned to greet her in-laws, Arnav found himself being gathered in a motherly hug from Garima. Shashi followed suit and clapped Arnav's shoulder.

"Thank you...again."

Arnav shook his head. "Please don't embarrass me by thanking me..."

Khushi smiled to herself hearing the small exchange between her father and Arnav as she pulled away from Asha.

"How were your exams?" Asha wiped her cheek once more, giving Anjali a side hug.

"Exams went well...I don't think Anjali agrees with me." Khushi chuckled.

"I don't!" Anjali crossed her arms in annoyance. "That last exam was so unfair!"

"I'll tell you what's unfair..." Asha twisted Anjali's ear. "Oh No Mom...I live alone...I wish I had a roommate." She imitated her daughter while Anjali smiled sheepishly, and Khushi bit her tongue cutely.

"So unfair! How come only I get I trouble?! Khushi was also in on it!" Anjali gasped.

Khushi's eyes rounded and then narrowed in warning at her friend.

"She told Arnav right away when she figured it out! I swear, if it weren't for her, you would have never told us." Asha let go of Anjali's ear and frowned.

"Well, if I had told you, you would have turned my pretty sweetheart of a friend into some cunning monster!" Anjali shot an accusatory glare in Arnav's direction. "Especially you...you would have flown down to kick her out of the house instead of announcing your wedding...which by the way I am mad you guys for hiding from me."

Asha and Arvind exchanged a guilty look while Arnav rolled his eyes at Anjali's antics.

"Aunty!" Anjali walked around Khushi to get to Garima. "See...Khushi hid such a big news from her best friend...so did my brother and my parents...now tell me...is that fair?!"

"Of course not." Garima caressed Anjali's cheek.

Anjali stuck her tongue out in Khushi's direction. "See! Aunty's on my team!"

"Where's Bhai?" Khushi questioned sullenly, knowing that her brother would always be on her side.

"Emergency surgery...he left really early in the morning." Shashi explained.

A flurry of conversations carried out as the two families walked towards the parking lot. Anjali did most of the talking, trying to include everyone in the group. Much like before, Arnav chose to be a silent spectator and walked a mere step behind Khushi.

All too soon, the time came for them to part ways. The women began their exchange of hugs once again while Arvind, Shashi, and Arnav resorted to handshakes. When Khushi turned to face Arnav, she found him smiling at him, even though a tinge of disappointment made his eyebrows knit together infinitesimally.

"See you tomorrow." He nodded tightly, knowing that there would be no exchange of a friendly hug this time.

"Khushi smiled and nodded. "See you tomorrow."

"Oh stop acting like you won't see each other for ages! She'll be moving in with you in four days Bhaiyya!" Anjali rolled her eyes.

Asha giggled while Garima looked on wide eyed. Such teasing statements from a woman...that's blasphemous!

Arnav might have told Anjali off if it weren't for the presence of his in-laws and for the crimson hue which quickly made its way to Khushi's cheeks. This time, he'll let it slide.
_____

She adjusted her already too secured dupatta as she walked up the stairs leading into the banquet hall. Oh, how she hated dressing in Indian clothes. Too focused on not tripping over the hem of her lehenga, she didn't pay attention to what, or rather who, she was walking into.

When she finally hit the wall of muscle, she fell backwards and waited with bated breath for her derriere to hit the floor but two seconds later, she realized that she was still floating mid-air.

Her eyes flew open and met astonished brown ones. The warm depths of the brown eyes anchored her even as they moved down her face, scanning, gazing. And then she felt something that she hadn't felt for a long time. Blood was rushing to her cheeks.

Anjali Singh Raizada was...blushing! Blushing because some browned eyes man was looking at her.

What the--!

No! It's the embarrassment! I nearly fell flat on my a**. I'm just embarrassed. And just what the hell am I doing lying comfortably in his arms?!

Instinctively, Anjali pushed at his chest and he blinked at her.

"Do you mind?" Anjali wiggled, indicating that she wanted to get out of his hold.

Without so much as an apology, the man straightened up and withdrew his arms. Anjali smoothed out her dress and averted her eyes from his as the embarrassment caught up. With no other outlet to let off the steam, she shot him a glare as if this entire situation was his fault.

"You're welcome." Humor tinged his deep voice.

"I didn't say thank you." Anjali narrowed her eyes at him.

"No worries, Ms. Raizada...I'm just saving you the trouble."

"Excuse me!" Anjali huffed. "I wasn't planning on thanking you anyway. I nearly fell because of you..."

"But you didn't...because of me."

"But I wouldn't almost have if it weren't for you...I think you owe me an apology..." Anjali crossed her arms, noting for the first time that the man in front of her looked familiar and then something else hit home.

"Wait a minute! How do you know my name?!" Anjali gasped.

"Anyone who knows Arnav Singh Raizada well knows of Anjali Singh Raizada." The man smiled.

Anjali opened her mouth to argue when the man looked past and over her head at something behind her with a big smile on his face.

Oh...his smile! No! Stop it Anjali.

"Well, hello there Gorgeous." The man spoke again and Anjali was surprised at the sincerity in his voice.

All men are pigs...well...except for my dad and brother...wasn't this guy just flirting with me a few seconds ago?!

Anjali turned to face whoever he was speaking to her and jaw dropped to her knees when she saw Khushi walking up the stairs. She whirled around to face the man again.

"Watch yourself! That is my best friend and my soon-to-be bhabhi."

"Whoa...what's going on here?" Khushi questioned as she came to a stop next to Anjali.

"This low life was first flirting with me and didn't you hear what he just said to you when you were walking up the stairs?" Anjali went on a rant.

"What are you screaming about, Anjali?" Arnav walked out from the hall to join them and came to a stop when his eyes spotted Khushi.

She stood, dressed in a blue and red lehenga with only the necessary jewelry to complete her look. Her beautiful eyes were throwing fleeting glances in his direction while blood gradually colored her cheeks.

"This man is getting frank with your fianc!" Anjali accused.

"This man is her brother..." Arnav nudged his chin in Khushi's direction.

Oh shit! Anjali looked between the three of them and she caught Khushi suppressing a chuckle. She was already on a loathing rant...no backing down now.

"Oh whatever! I still don't like him...I nearly fell because of him!" Anjali turned to face Khushi. "And him being your brother doesn't change anything."

"I think your sister is absolutely nuts, Arnav...I think she needs treatment."

"Bhai!" Khushi reprimanded. "Be nice!"

"I can't believe this jerk is your brother, Khushi!" Anjali stopped her foot, looking like a stubborn eight year old.

She grabbed Khushi's hand and walked into the hall in a huff while both Aman and Arnav turned on their spot the watch them leave.

"Hmm...Ms. Raizada...very interesting." Aman blurted a mischievous grin on his face.

"Dude..." Arnav warned, knowing that look well. "She's my sister."

Aman scoffed. "you're the one to talk...you're marrying mine...Do I need to list all the things that will happen between you two that I'd rather not think about or imagine?!"

Arnav's eyed widened at what Aman was implying. "What the--!"

"that's right...and months or years down the road, when you two announce pregnancy...the first thought that will cross my mind is the process of how babies are conceived...I don't need to think of my sister involved in all those scenarios."

Arnav groaned, beyond horrified at this point. "Unbelievable, man! I'm done listening to you right now."

Arnav walked away briskly while Aman followed, his inner devil rubbing his hands together in glee.

It was almost as if the party was waiting for them to return to start. No sooner had Arnav walked into the hall than the music got louder and people of all ages made their way to the centre of the banquet hall.

Of course, the Gupta's and the Raizada's had left no stone unturned. Thesangeet ceremony was being held with all the grandeur of a bollywood dream wedding. Arnav wasn't surprised in the least with the arrangements.

What he was surprised about was the fact that Khushi, who obviously loved to dance, was chatting animatedly with a group of guests. After greeting a few people and speaking to them shortly, his eyes sought out Anjali and he walked to her. Smiling warmly at her brother, she looped her arm through his and smoothed out the non-existing crease on her shoulder.

"I'm very happy for you...you've made everyone so happy...Thank you." She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "I just hope that you didn't decide solely on what the family wanted...I can see that you're happy but...I just want to make sure that you're actually happy."

"You know I wouldn't make a decision like this simply because the family wanted me to." Arnav stated matter of factly.

Anjali shook her head. "No...but you would make this decision if you knew it brought them happiness...pun intended...don't deny it...you would get married just to make us happy."

"And ruin Khushi's life?" Arnav raised his eyebrows. "Is that what you think of me?"

Anjali bit her lip guiltily. "I didn't mean it like that...I...I just...I don't know how to put this in words."

Arnav took a deep breath and sighed. "I'm happy Anjali...I understand what you're trying to ask...I was worried about the same with Khushi...I wanted to make sure that she agreed willingly too."

"Oh, she did. She's happy with this alliance. I can assure you of that."

"You can?" Arnav's eyebrows rose high up on his forehead.

Anjali nudged her chin in Khushi's direction, who was currently laughing with Asha. "Look at her. She couldn't act to save her life. You should know that about her...her heart reflects on her face...whatever she's feeling; her expressions will tell you better than she can in words. And I don't know about you but I don't see anything but contented happiness right now."

Arnav's lips quirked up in a smile as Anjali's words were processed in his mind. In the short time he had known her; he had figured out that her face was expressive. Her eyes were even more expressive and what better than having the theory confirmed by none other than Khushi's best friend?

"Ladies and gentleman..." Aman spoke up to get everyone's attention. After a few seconds when mostly everyone was looking his way, he spoke up again. "I would like to thank everyone who could join us tonight for my sister and my friend, Khushi and Arnav's, Sangeet. I know that you guys probably want to get back to dancing soon so I won't take much time...but since this is a sangeetceremony, it would be a waste without live music..."

He waved his hand towards a large door on the side through which three people pushed in a grand piano.

Arnav heard Anjali gasp in surprise next to him while a few people in the room cheered, including Akash and Payal.

"You know something about the Piano?" Arnav whispered to her.

She shrugged. "It's obvious, isn't it? Khushi's going to play."




Arnav turned to look at Khushi who was being led to the piano by Aman.

She plays the piano?!

Arnav barely noticed when Anjali left his side to rush up to Khushi. Khushi had just taken a seat on the bench, twisting her hands nervously, when Anjali whispered something into her ear.

The fast appearing red on Khushi's cheeks and Anjali's evil smile was a telltale sign that whatever Anjali had said had to do with Arnav. His breath hitched in anticipation as she expertly placed her slim fingers on the keys, preparing to play.

As the first notes floated to his ears, he found himself being allured to the young woman once again. He recognized the tune almost immediately. It was an old Hindi song which was one of Aman's favorites.

The crowd smiled and swayed gently in time with the music, savoring the sweet bliss the sound brought. She seamlessly morphed the tune into a different one which Arnav recognized yet again as his dad's favorite Hindi song.

He couldn't help but smile at that. She had already blended into the family so well that she knew these things. More than that, he was touched that she had chosen to play this piece. Somewhere, this was assuring of the fact that she had accepted the Raizada's as warmly as they had accepted her.

The warm feeling growing in his heart only doubled when she changed the tune once again...this time...it was one of his personal favorites.

How does she know this...? And then he caught Anjali's smug smirk. Of course.

Aman, who Arnav didn't realize was standing next to him, slapped his back enthusiastically. Only now did Arnav realize that in his trance, he had walked around the edge of the crowd and come to a stop with their family, directly in front of her.

As she played out the song further, she kept her eyes trained on the keys and the crimson flush didn't leave her cheeks.

When she finally did raise her eyes she saw Arnav standing between her father and Aman. She saw joy on Aman's face, surprise on Arnav's, and...tears in her Papa's eyes.

Taking a deep breath, she focused down on the keys again and changed the tune to her father's favorite song. She felt the tears prickling her eyes when she looked at her father again. This time, even Aman's face had mellowed a little. Clearly, he had picked up on the silent exchange between his sister and father.

Tears pooled in her eyes quickly when she saw the ones in her Papa's eyes spill onto his cheeks. She pressed her lips together and focused on the keys again but she could do absolutely nothing about the traitor tears that escaped her eyes.

For as far back as she could remember, she had always been a papa's girl. They were partners in crime when it came to pulling Garima or Aman's leg. He'd been her biggest pillar of support until Aman had grown mature and taken over the role. She was proud of herself for giving her father the only thing he had ever asked of her...she had agreed to get married to fulfill his wish and it was that same wish of his that was going to take her away from him.

Today was nearly done...after this, she had three days to spend with her family until she left. Just three more days.

Knowing that she won't be able to hang on to her emotions for longer, she brought the tune to an end and took a deep, calming breath to compose herself as the last note lingered in the air.

The ring of the applause confounded her to stand up and acknowledge the appreciation. Some people came up to her for a handshake or to give her a quick friendly hug and during those interactions and smiles, Khushi managed to blink the remaining tears away.

By the time she managed to turn to her father, he had also composed himself. Now, he was smiling at her with unbound love twinkling in his eyes. Khushi made to take a step in his direction when Akash tugged at her arm and pulled her away into the crowd which had begun dancing again.

For the next hour or so, Arnav stood with any family member or friend that wasn't dancing and observed the celebrations with a satisfactory smile.

Just like every couple, there were similarities and differences between him and Khushi...and he had accepted that gracefully. He was mellower while she was more out there. He was controlled and composed most of the times while she was bubbly and full of life.

This was exactly the reason why they were perfect for each other. He was, by no means, a perfect human being and neither was she. As a couple, they were as perfect as couples could be. She possessed characteristics that he lacked and vice-versa. If accepted and treated the right way, these differences could contribute towards equilibrium between the two.

But of course that is just a theory. Some couples never find that equilibrium and the misbalance eventually tears apart the relationship.

His observation session was cut short by Payal who cheerfully skipped up to him and held his arm without hesitating. He didn't need to guess twice to know where she was taking him and he knew that there was no point in protesting.

Even Khushi didn't seem surprised when Payal pushed Arnav closer to her. Somewhat stunned, Arnav looked around, trying to grasp the moves but everyone was doing something else and he was a hopeless dancer. The only dance that was his cup of tea was a slow dance and right now, the mood of the party was nowhere near that.

He turned to face Khushi again when her elbow nudged against his arm accidentally. A chuckle escaped him as he saw his Dadi join the gathering with her cute little shoulder and hip sways. His Dadi was immediately joined by Asha, Anjali, Khushi, and Payal. The four women put a hand at the back of their heads, one hand on their hip and continued the soft hip sways in unison while Akash, Aman, and a few other men broke out into wolf whistles.

The warm and fuzzy feeling engulfed his heart again when Khushi, Anjali, Asha, and his Dadi embraced in a group hug. It was a perfect picture: The four women of significance in his life.

Unknown to everyone, even himself, that was the moment that started it all for Arnav Singh Raizada.
_____

The next couple of days passed by in a flurry of activity, especially at Khushi's house. A crowded mehendi ceremony took place the day after the sangeet and of course it involved more singing and dancing.

Khushi, surprisingly, had sat in her spot as the henna artists worked away, making intricate designs on her palms and arms. Many of her distant relatives and friends and other women had come forth to bless her and congratulate her and Khushi had found herself feeling happy.

If someone had told her that she would be enjoying her wedding ceremonies a month ago, she would have told them to go get their mental health checked but now she couldn't deny it. It was too evident in her laughter, in her smiles, and in her glittering emerald eyes.

The haldi ceremony the day after added the radiant glow to her complexion, completing her look of a bride-to-be. The haldi hadn't been all smiles and laughter, though.

Garima had ended up tearful at one point which had induced a round of tears from Khushi too. Once the ceremony had completed, Khushi had sought out her father and given him a big hug, forcing herself not to cry and failing. The father-daughter duo had shared a nostalgic session of recalling childhood memories. After dinner, the four of them had sat in the living room, once again, recalling all their happy memories together.

Now, as she sat at the edge of her bed, she looked around the room which had been her personal space for years. Various pictures of her with her parents, brother, and friends adorned bookshelf shelves, walls, and desk corners. A part of her book collection, her clothes, and other necessities were packed in bags and waiting by the door to be moved to Shantivan tomorrow.

Tonight would be her last night as Khushi Kumari Gupta. Tomorrow, by this time, she will have become Mrs. Khushi Arnav Singh Raizada. Somewhere in her heart, there was joy, there was nervousness but the most profound feeling was of sadness.
The tears were just beginning to prickle her eyes when a small stone clattered against the glass pane of her window.

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Chapter 7

Khushi took deep breaths as she saw the crowd of people heading toward the exit gate from customs at the airport. Her heart had been erratic the entire drive here. Was it the nervousness of seeing him again, the excitement, or the worry of Storm Anjali' which undoubtedly awaited them back at home? Whatever the feeling was wouldn't subside.

When she caught a glimpse of his handsome face, her heart jumped into her throat and then back into its usual spot. She felt the muscles of her face relax and contract to form a smile on their own and she felt joy rush through her veins when she saw him return the smile.

Unconsciously, her hand ran down her abdomen, fixing the invisible creases on her white top and peach coloured cardigan. The butterflies fluttered gently as he came to a stop in front of her, standing tall and handsome in his white chinos and navy blue polo shirt.

"Hi." He spoke in his husky voice with a half smile.

"Hi..." Khushi smiled a tad bit wider in acknowledgement of his greeting.

Before the second long pause after the greetings could get awkward, Khushi took a step closer and gave him a friendly hug, just like she had when she left. This time, Arnav had prepared himself. He returned her gesture by putting his hand on the small of her back and applying the slightest bit of pressure.

"It's nice to see you alive in one piece." Arnav teased as she pulled away--very aware of the way he moved his hand away slower than normal.

Khushi began to chuckle and then registered his words truly. She narrowed her eyes at him ever so slightly.

"It won't be funny when you'll have to deal with her." Khushi rolled her eyes.

Arnav chuckled and shook his head while waving his hand ahead of them, gesturing her to start walking.

"I can't believe she didn't come with you..." Arnav scanned the crowd for his sister but didn't see her.

"She's busy sulking at home."

"She'll come around...especially since she wanted this to happen..." Arnav couldn't help but smile as he recalled his surprise when Khushi had told him how Anjali was scheming to bring him and Khushi closer.

As annoyed as Anjali was going to be with him for getting engaged without telling her, the fact that she wanted this to happen way before it had crossed any of their minds would calm her down.

"I sure hope you're right...I don't want my best friend and your sister sulking through our wedding ceremonies." Khushi blurted. She looked at him from the corner of her eyes but she found no change in his calm expression or in the small smile which seemed to be glued onto his face.

"Err...we're going to have to take the cab home...Sorry..." Khushi changed the topic as they walked through the parking lot to reach the cab stop.

Arnav shrugged. "It's not a problem."

Khushi glanced at him head-to-toe once. Where was the damned jet lag? He was full of energy even after that long flight.

Could it have absolutely anything to do with me? Wait...what?! Khushi Kumari Gupta Soon-To-Be-Singh Raizada...get a hold of yourself. He's probably excited about seeing his sister after two long years...

Even though she knew he didn't need it, she helped him toss the luggage bag into the trunk. Being the gentleman that he was, he held the door open for her while she got in. When he slipped in next to her in the backseat of the taxi, she was already instructing the drive on the route and the destination. He pulled the strap of the carry-on bag off his shoulder and over his head, letting the bag rest between him and Khushi.

Khushi felt the slightest hint of annoyance kick in when he opened a zipper and pushed his hand into the bag. She rolled her eyes and looked out the window.

Seriously? Is he going to work?! What the hell? How rude!

She was forced to look at him when he cleared his throat deliberately to get her attention. He held out a deep red envelope to her and her earlier annoyances faded immediately as she registered what he was holding.

"I hope you like it." His voice was quiet.

She hoped that he wouldn't register the slight trembling of her hand as she reached out and took the envelope. She could feel his eyes watching her face"evaluating every expression, no doubt.

She flipped the envelope to see its front and the corners of her mouth lifted up. There it was. Her wedding card.

Arnav weds Khushi' was written in elegant gold script amidst intricate designs in the same golden hue. Khushi pulled out the card from the envelope and her lips parted in a pleasant surprise. The card was done in the traditional style. The announcement of the wedding was repeated on the card the same way it was on the envelope. Inside the card were the details of the bride and groom's parents, the days and times of the ceremonies.

"This is better than what discussed on the phone..." Khushi noted.

"Aman added a few touches that he was sure you'd love..." Arnav looked at her keenly, celebrating the joy on her face. "So you like it then?"

"Like it?" Khushi looked at him with raised eyebrows. "I love this! It's beautiful..."

"You might want to hide that copy then...don't let it get in the way of Anjali's rage."

Khushi's fingers caressed the faint grooves of the golden designs as she spoke to him. "How are we going to break to her...I mean...we've planned on how we'll deal with her but...how do we tell her."

Arnav reached into his bag again and pulled out another copy of the wedding card. "This is for Anjali."
_____

Stupid...stupid stupid stupid. Who does this these days? And Khushi of all people? I swear if I was there, I would have never approved...I would have kidnapped her and stopped the engagement if I could have...her and Bhaiyya would look so much better together! Tsk. All my dreams and plans and schemes down the drain. Who knows what dumba$ she has gone ahead and gotten engaged to!

Anjali was just grumbling in her mind while starting at the TV screen unseeingly when the doorbell rang. She crossed her arms with the stubbornness of a five year old and started at the TV harder, not making an attempt to move.

Let her get the stupid door. Must be her with her stupid fiance.

The doorbell rang again and Anjali frowned.

"Open the damned door yourself, Khushi Kumari Gupta!"

Arnav's eyebrows rose higher on his forehead in amusement while Khushi rolled her eyes on the other side of the door. Khushi slid the key in and turned it to a click before pushing the door open.

Arnav's lips widened into a full grin as he saw his sister sitting on the couch, with her back to them, watching TV.

"Anjali...look who's here!" Khushi chirped.

Anjali stood up stiffly and took a deep breath. She turned around in a huff, with a haughty expression on her face which dissolved as soon as she saw Arnav standing there.

The next moment, Anjali's scream of excitement echoed in the apartment while she climbed on and over the couch to get to him. Arnav opened his arms just in time to catch her as she threw herself into his embrace.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh. My. God!!!!" Anjali laughed wholeheartedly while Arnav gave her a small twirl. "Bhaiyya!! What the hell are you doing here? What a pleasant surprise! We have so much to catch up on!! Come!"

Anjali held his hand and dragged him towards the couch, momentarily forgetting just whom he had come home with. In her excitement of seeing her brother, she had forgotten that Khushi was standing in the same room!

For the next few minutes, Anjali tried to give Arnav all the updates of her life that she hadn't since their last phone call. Giving the brother-sister duo time to catch up, Khushi headed off into the kitchen to make coffee.

By the time she poured three large mugs of coffee"two regulars, and one black with no sugar"Anjali's squeals and screeches had died down. The happiness and positive energy was so tangible in the atmosphere that Khushi found herself smiling widely as she approached them with the tray in her hands.

"Oh! I completely forgot to introduce you two! Bhaiyya...Meet Khushi...my roo"I mean my friend...and Khushi...this is my brother, Arnav..." Anjali smirked smugly.

Khushi smiled at Arnav as he took his mug of coffee.


"Well...take a good look at him...this is what you're missing..." Anjali clapped Arnav's shoulder while he took a sip of coffee sheepishly.

"Excuse me?" Khushi raised an eyebrow.

"Oh come on...you can't tell me that your gorilla is better than my brother!

Arnav choked on the coffee at the word gorilla' while Khushi suppressed a laugh.

"Wait a minute...where is he? Didn't you say you were going to pick him up? How the hell did you run into Bhaiyya?" Anjali frowned in confusion.

Khushi looked at Anjali with an expression which said, really?'. How could she not have put two and two together by now?

"Um sorry...rewind a bit...Gorilla?" Arnav questioned.

"Yeah." Anjali waved her hand dismissively. "Her Fiance. I don't like him...so I call him a gorilla..."

Arnav pressed his lips together to keep the laughter at bay. "Why don't you like him?"

"Oh...umm...well...don't get mad, okay?" Anjali bit her lip nervously. "I was...I was going to plan and scheme to hook you up with Khushi..."

"What?!" Arnav feigned shock. His reaction had been identical when Khushi had told him of Anjali's plans on the phone call while he was waiting for his connecting flight in Amsterdam.

"Yeap..." Anjali grinned.

"Well...you can't do that..." Arnav frowned.

"Why not?" Anjali questioned at once.

"Hold on." Arnav got up and walked to the bags on the floor near the entrance. A few seconds later, he returned holding the ominous deep red envelope. Noting the way Khushi was twisting her hands nervously, he stood next to her as he handed the card over to Anjali.

As confused as she was, she took the card from him and glanced at it. Her eyes widened as soon as her eyes caught the words.

No...It can't be...holy mother of God...I want to see them together so bad...I'm even imagining their names on this stupid card.

Anjali closed her eyes and shook her head jerkily as if that would change the print. She opened her eyes again and this time, her eyes remained wide while her jaw dropped open. Khushi twisted her fingers nervously while Arnav watched Anjali's reaction with a small smile on his face.

"W...what?!" She looked up at them over the edge of the card. "This...You...This...No...How...when...what?!?!"

"I guess we won't need your planning and scheming, after all." Arnav crossed his arms and winked.

"You two are really engaged?!" Anjali spoke surprisingly calmly. "You two...got engaged?? What the fuck! You two got engaged without me!!!" She shrieked.

"Uh oh..." Khushi muttered under her breath.

Arnav held up his hands defensively. "Hear us out..."

"You two went and got engaged...and I don't know anything about it...you!" Anjali pointed at Khushi, "forgot your best friend and you," Anjali's finger turned to Arnav, "Forgot your own sister! And I'm supposed to hear you out? The hell I'll hear you out...youhear meout..."

"Run." Khushi warned Arnav under her breath while she retreated a couple of steps.

Arnav looked back her and she titled her head in the direction of an open door. No sooner had he turned back than the small decorative candle holder on the table went flying past his head, hitting the wall behind him.

"Run!!" Khushi warned as she dived for the door. This time, Arnav followed without missing a beat. He made it in through the door, but not quickly enough to avoid the pillow which Anjali had thrown at him on target at his back.

Khushi shut the door and the two of them leaned their backs against it, catching their breaths while Anjali continued to scream, screech, and cuss on the other side. Arnav and Khushi glanced at each other with a wary expression which dissolved into smiles followed by laughter.

A few long seconds later when Khushi stopped laughing, she realized that Arnav had stopped laughing long ago. She had an odd feeling that if she looked his way now, she would find him watching her. Just at the thought, blood rushed up to her cheeks and she looked at her toes. Her doubts were confirmed when he cleared his throat before speaking.

"So this is exactly what she did last night?"

Khushi nodded in response. "Last night it was the kitchen...fruits, spatulas, spoons...at one point she picked up a knife..."

"You two better stay locked in there because when you step out, I am going to kill you both!!" Anjali's yell was followed by a loud thud as something hit the door.

"Let's just wait out the storm." Arnav suggested.
_____

It took all of fifteen minutes for Anjali to calm down outside. The silence that followed her outburst was eerie.

"I feel like she's waiting right outside this door with a weapon in her hands." Arnav rolled his eyes, making Khushi chuckle.

Arnav turned and opened the door ever so slightly. As he peeked through the small gap, he saw Anjali sitting cross-legged on the couch; her arms folded stubbornly, an angry frown etched on her face.

He approached her cautiously with Khushi following him. It wasn't until they were a few steps away that he noticed the tears in her eyes. Khushi reacted quicker than her did. Within a couple of seconds, Khushi was seated next to Anjali, a hand on her shoulder.

"Anjali..."

"I'm really hurt Khushi...I understand that for you it was a rushed matter because of your dad's health and what not... how could he not tell his sister about his engagement?! He has no excuses..." Anjali glared at him pointedly.

"He does." Khushi squeezed Anjali's shoulder. "His reason for not telling you is the bigger part of the reason why I didn't tell you..."

"What could possibly be the reason for this, Khushi? Mom, Dad, Dadi, Bhaiyya, and you...everyone that should have told me...didn't. What am I supposed to make of that?" Anjali accused.

"All of us wanted to, Anji..." Arnav started. He knew that he had to tell her about Dadi's second heart attack...

"But you didn't!" Anjali picked up the wedding card and waved it in her hands. "This is how I find out! You didn't even confirm with me whether or not I'll be able to make it to your wedding!"

"He knew you'll be able to...we both knew...we know you enough to know that if you found out about the wedding, you'll leave everything and rush there...just like you would have for the engagement and that's why we didn't tell you...This wedding was supposed to take place a week ago, Anjali...which means that I couldn't have made it for my exams...he pushed the date back so that both of us could write our exams and so that you can be there for the wedding." Khushi squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.

Anjali stood up angrily and stalked towards Arnav. "And you couldn't have just pushed the engagement back so that I could be there for it?"

"No, I couldn't have Anji, otherwise I would have!" Arnav argued back. "You know how Dadi and mom are about the auspicious dates and stuff and this wedding date that we have settled on is the last one until the next 8 months or something like that...we had to rush...and are you telling me that you wouldn't have questioned the rush if I had told you about the engagement?"

"I would have but you could have easily told me that it's because of Khushi's dad and"" Anjali was cut off by the shake of Arnav's head.

"That's not the only reason." Arnav's voice was suddenly serious.

Anjali opened her mouth to argue but then clamped it shut seeing the serious expression on his face. His eyes held pain and guilt as he glanced at Khushi, almost as if seeking approval. He must've found it because he turned back to Anjali and broke the news.

"Khushi's family was in a rush because of Shashi uncle but our family was in a rush because of Dadi..." Arnav held Anjali by the shoulders, already providing the support he knew his sister would need soon. Khushi also walked up to stand beside her. "She...she had another heart attack."

Anjali froze and stared at her brother as if expecting him to announce that this was all a joke. The seconds stretched to a minute but Anjali didn't move another muscle. The blankness on Anjali's face scared Arnav and when she didn't say anything for a few more long seconds, Arnav shook her gently.

"When?" Anjali's question was flat and Arnav knew he was doomed no matter what answer he gave her. No matter what the answer to this question was, it wouldn't be right because regardless of the day it happened, she didn't know until now and she would not take that well. He decided to answer her question honestly.

"A couples weeks ago." Arnav answered, pleading with his eyes for her to understand.

She didn't. Her eyes flashed dangerously and she shoved his arms off of her shoulders. Khushi staggered a step back from the force and looked at Anjali warily.

"I can't believe you would hide that from me too, Bhaiyya..." Tears rushed into Anjali's eyes.

And with that, she ran off towards her room. Arnav took two quick steps to follow her but stopped when he heard Khushi speak.

"Wait..." Khushi said in a non-commanding tone. "Give her time...let her come to terms with the news...I'm sure you know that she won't listen to anything right now."

Arnav looked at Anjali's recently closed door with a torn expression on his face. As much as he wanted to go and explain himself to Anjali, he knew that Khushi was right.

He nodded in response to Khushi's statement and ran a hand through his hair frustratedly. He had expected Anjali to freak out regarding the engagement and then accept it gracefully. He had planned to divulge the information about their grandmother once she was calm again.

"I...I'll call mom and let her know that I've reached." He pulled out his cell phone from his pocket and started dialling as he walked towards the balcony.

Khushi sighed. She knew he wasn't making any calls. It was the middle of the night in India right now. She had an inkling that he'd gone away to hide his vulnerable side from her.

She contemplated who to go to first...Anjali or Arnav? She debated regarding her responsibility towards both of them in her mind as she picked up the now cold cups of coffee and walked into the kitchen to brew a fresh batch.
_____

When she walked back into the living room, Anjali's door was still closed. She took a step towards the door but caught Arnav's still figure in the balcony. He stood with his elbows resting on the railing while he looked down at the street.

Making her decision on pure gut feeling, she walked confidently towards the balcony. He showed no change in posture when she came to stand next to him. He offered a slight smile when she offered him the steaming cup of coffee.

"I feel like a horrible brother."

His confession came as a surprise to her. She remembered Dadi telling her that Arnav tends to keep his feelings private...that he doesn't like talking about himself or his emotions. But he was choosing to share this with her...

Khushi wasn't foolish enough to disregard any attempt he made towards this relationship. The circumstances may not have been of her preference but she had agreed to this marriage wholeheartedly and she would be putting in every effort to make it work. The fact that he seemed to be going out of his way, out of his comfort zone, to open up to her was more than the encouragement she needed.

"You're not a bad brother..." Khushi hoped that he heard the underlying honesty in her words. "I understand why the news of Dadi's heart attack had to be kept from her...and I understand that that's the reason why the engagement had to be kept a secret too..."

She turned on the spot so that she was leaning her back against the railing. He continued looking ahead of him when all he wanted to do was look at Khushi to see the assurance of her words reflect in those deep, warm, emerald eyes.

"With that said...I don't disagree with her reaction either." Khushi shrugged. "I would be lying if I said that I wouldn't have reacted that way if I were in her place. Bhai didn't tell me about dad's recent diagnose and if Maa hadn't ended up crying over the phone, I wouldn't have found out then either...I was really hurt and angry with Bhai at the time so I understand where Anjali is coming from...

"You see, we already feel detached from our families, living here alone and everything...and then to find out that your family has been dealing with important life events in your absence without informing you...it does hurt a little...even if you know it's for your own good."

Arnav finally gave in to the urge and turned his head to look at her. Hazel eyes met emeralds and held for a couple seconds. Concern in one pair, gratefulness and pain in the other.

Arnav had just opened his mouth to respond when the rattling of wheels on tiles caught their attention.

"Anjali?" Khushi moved into the living room in three long strides, leaving Arnav to follow.

Anjali paused for a second, looked at them accusingly, and then hauled the bag towards the door. "I'm taking the next flight to India. I want to see Dadi."

"Anjali, wait." Khushi walked briskly towards her friend and held her by the shoulders. "Anjali, I'm sorry for hiding about the engagement for you but please hear us out..."

"I just want to see Dadi right now, Khushi..." Anjali looked defeated.

Khushi noticed the tear stains on her friends face and her heart wrenched painfully. She moved her hands from Anjali's shoulders to cup her face.

"Anjali look at me...and listen to me...Dadi is fine. She is absolutely okay. Even she didn't want you to find out about her health. They all knew that you would fly there right away and they didn't want you to miss your exams. They hid it from you because they didn't want you to be hurting here alone...even you hid from them that I'm your roommate because you didn't want them to worry about you living with someone they didn't know, right?" Khushi dropper her voice so that only Anjali could hear. "And we've both kept a major secret from our families, haven't we?"

"But Khushi...D-Dadi..." Anjali hiccupped in an attempt to suppress a sob.

Khushi gathered her friend in a tight, comforting embrace which Anjali gladly accepted. "I promise she is absolutely fine, Anjali. She has recovered really fast."

"Really?"

"I swear to you. She is fine...and don't you worry...I'll be a Raizada soon enough...then both of us can fuss over her and make sure that she's as healthy as a horse!" Khushi chuckled.

Anjali giggled through tears but then let the tears flow. The thought that she could have lost a family member was a huge shock to her and if there was one place where she always found it easy to express every emotion, it was in the embrace of her best friend.

Arnav stood in his spot, watching the two women's bond on display. It almost seemed as if they'd forgotten all about his existence in the room for the time being.

When Khushi had told him that Anjali was her best friend, he hadn't expected their bond to be this strong. He hadn't expected to see this understanding and communication that seemed to exist between the two. The way they reacted to each other clearly showed that both had entitled the other with a right over them.

In that moment, he learned that Khushi had been a major source of support for his sister. That the two women's friendship was identical, if not stronger than what he shared with Aman. As he watched Khushi reassure his sister and try to make her laugh, he felt his respect increase three folds for her.

Anjali pulled away from Khushi and turned to her brother with her hands on her hips. "I can't be mad at Khushi about hiding Dadi's heart attack but you...I'll forgive you on one condition."

"What's that? I'll do anything..." Arnav asked at once.

"You have to promise me that you won't ever hide anything from me again...except for the plans for my surprise birthday parties." She raised her chin stubbornly.

Arnav couldn't help but chuckle at that. "I promise."

Arnav opened his arms and Anjali stepped into her brother's embrace, wiping her cheeks dry.

"I'm sorry for my dramatic reaction..."

"Don't apologize...I...I understand why you reacted the way you did..." Arnav glanced at Khushi thankfully. "I'm sorry that I had to keep these things from you."

Khushi smiled at the adorable brother-sister duo and feeling as if she were intruding a private moment, turned to leave when Anjali spoke again

"Where do you think you're going bhabhi?" Anjali stressed on the word, making Khushi whirl around in surprise while Arnav looked between the two of them with amused, wide eyes.

"What? Don't look at me like that...I'm not going to call you Bhabhi' or sister-in-law regularly or anything...you were my best friend before you even met him so you'll remain just Khushi for me...come here!"

Anjali rushed to Khushi, grabbed her hand and pulled her towards Arnav. Positioning Khushi next to Arnav, Anjali took a few steps back and held up her hands as if making a photo frame with it. She twisted her hands this way and that, looking at the two of them while they resolutely avoided looking at each other.

"Alright!! Good Job Anjali Singh Raizada!" Anjali patted her own back. "What an imagination you have! You two are perfect...just like I'd imagined you two would be."

Blood rushed to Khushi's cheeks and Anjali laughed out loud. "Oh God! Khushiblushing?! There's a sight you don't see everyday...okay okay...I'll shut up" Anjali rolled her eyes when both Arnav and Khushi glared at her.

"Now stop busying me with this useless conversation...I have to reschedule my tickets so that I can attend your stupid wedding. I'll never forgive you two if I miss a single ceremony." Anjali walked towards the phone at the same time Khushi walked towards the classy glass unit which housed the TV along with a few cabinets.

Khushi pulled out a novel and from between the two pages, pulled out a thin long piece of card.

"Ahem." She turned to face Anjali and waved the tickets in her hand.

Anjali snatched the tickets out of her hand and scanned them quickly. "These are for tomorrow night..." Anjali gasped. "It's a direct flight!"

Khushi nodded. "The day after we'll land is the sangeet."

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Chapter 6

"What's up?" Aman questioned as the two stood face-to-face, away from the crowd.

"Come with me...I need to talk to your parents and I think you should be there too." Arnav said as he glanced over at Khushi.

Aman raised an eyebrow doubtfully. His sister's happiness and safety took the priority in his mind. "What? What's wrong?"

Arnav turned to look at Khushi and smiled naturally. He was even surer of his decision now than before. He needed to do this for her. She deserved it. He turned back to look at his friend. "It's about Khushi."

"What's the matter?!" Aman exclaimed, worried at once.

Arnav held up a hand to calm his suddenly frantic friend. "Relax Aman...nothing iswrong...I just want to talk about the wedding date..."

"Oh..." Aman nodded thoughtfully.

Garima and Shashi also expressed their puzzlement at Arnav's sudden declaration of this conversation. Garima's slightly pessimistic mind was already conjuring the worst possible scenarios. Was Arnav going to call off the wedding? Had Khushi said something to him? Was something wrong?

Shashi was more confused than worried as he followed Arnav and Aman into the elevator. The short ascend of the elevator turned eternal in the anticipatory silence. The silence remained until they settled in the hotel room in which Shashi and Garima were staying.

"Okay...enough of the suspense...tell me what's up. I can't take this!" Aman threw his hands up in the air and slouched back into the couch.

Arnav couldn't help but smile lightly at the impatience clearly etched in Aman's every single gesture. Instead of addressing his friend, Arnav turned to the more senior and apt man--His soon-to-be father-in-law.

"Uncle...I won't beat around the bush. I wanted to talk to you and aunty...And Aman," Arnav added when Aman scoffed, "about the possibility of pushing the wedding date to the next suitable one instead of next week."

Shashi was too busy observing the young man keenly to notice Garima's constant weary gaze.

"If you don't mind me asking...why do you want to postpone the wedding?" Shashi questioned calmly.

"you do realize that the next suitable date isn't too far...there's only an extra ten days in-between the date we have selected and the day you want to postpone it to..." Aman frowned.

"It's more than enough time, Aman." Arnav shrugged and looked at Shashi steadily. "Uncle...If Khushi was in New York, she would be studying for her exams...she would be writing them next week, right?"

"Yes..." Shashi answered, unsure where Arnav was going with this.

"I want to postpone the wedding so that she can go and write her exams." Arnav stated in a matter-of-fact tone. Arnav paused when Garima and Shashi exchanged a glance. "Please don't misunderstand me...You're her parents and you know what's best for her but I don't think it would be fair to her if all her hard work of years goes to waste because of this wedding. I already have my degree and even now I'm planning on studying further...I would hate it if she can't write these exams because of the wedding...And like Aman said...it's only ten extra days..."

"Arnav...have you spoken to your parents about this?" Shashi inquired.

"They know and they agree with me. They told me to speak to you regarding this."

Arnav paused for a few seconds, waiting to see if someone wanted to say something but no one offered any words.

"I apologize if I'm stepping on toes here but...I really don't want to start this relationship on a foundation of her incomplete goals. She can finish her degree here after the wedding, I know, but with the credit transfer process and the legal name changes...it will just prolong everything and waste time. Why do that when we have a better solution?" Arnav felt more confident with his arguments as he put them into words. They definitely sounded more solid when spoken than they did in his mind. "And an extra ten days also means that you have more time to prepare for the wedding...and that my sister can be a part of it all...it's killing multiple birds with one stone."

Shashi looked at Arnav thoughtfully for a long minute before standing up with a sigh. As he paced, Arnav and Garima watched him wearily while Aman's face lit up with a goofy grin.

"I thought I've been a good father to my daughter but clearly, that's not the case. I've been so caught up with the excitement of her engagement and the pending wedding that I haven't given her degree a single thought. I can't believe how selfish I've become...and she didn't say anything to me either..." Shashi faced away from them shamefully and his shoulders slumped slightly, making Arnav feel guilty.

"She didn't say anything to me either..." Arnav defended at once. "This is all my doing..."

The guilt pricked at Arnav at having this man feel shameful. That was not his intention at all. He didn't want the man to think that he'd been a bad father! Before Arnav could say anything else, Shashi squared his shoulders and turned to face Arnav.

"I think choosing you for my daughter is done of the best decisions I have made in my life. You barely know her...you've been engaged to her for no more than an hour and a half but you're already assuming her responsibility...I respect that...and you have my complete support for this matter. With that said, I want you to be the one who discusses this with Khushi." Shashi held up his hand when Arnav opened his mouth to, what seemed like, protest. "It was your idea...it was your thought process...you should be the one who tells her."

"And who knows...might earn you some brownie points!" Aman winked.

"Dude, What the..." Arnav glanced indicatively at Shashi and Garima, warning Aman to shut up.

"Let Khushi know that we know about this already...she won't protest as much..." Shashi smiled fondly at the thought of his obedient daughter.

"But Shashi Ji..." Garima started but shut up when Shashi gave her a warning glance.

"No Garima...Bitiya has agreed to get married when she had no plans of doing so just because we wanted her to...until today she has been a perfect daughter...I think its time to loosen our grasp on her." Shashi placed a comforting hand on Garima's shoulder. "Our daughter is ready to let go of our hands, Garima...I think she has been...for a long time...we just didn't want to let go."

"And think of it this way Maa...if you don't let go of her hand, how will she have free hands to hold this idiot's?!" Aman chirped and earned a dirty look from Arnav and Garima.

"Aman, why don't you go bring Khushi...?" Shashi spoke pointedly. "Now..."

Aman may be goofy but he was no fool. He saw an underlying threat even when his father presented it in the calmest way.

___

Khushi twisted her hands nervously as she stepped out of the elevator and walked towards her parents' room, with Aman following her closely. Khushi's confusion had known no bounds when Aman walked up to in the middle of her little dance party and announced that Arnav wanted to speak to her. Of course, Aman being the teasing jerk he is, didn't tell her much else.

Khushi's mind was reeling with random questions since that moment. What did he want to talk about? Did they have the wedding day fixed already? Was he having second thoughts?

Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door lightly and frowned when her mother opened the door.

"Maa?" Khushi stepped into the room and her eyes immediately flew to the exchange of a hug between her father and--damn, it felt weird to say this--her fianc.

Confusion gave way to nervousness when the two of them walked towards her, both looking happy yet serious. Sashi cupped Khushi's cheek with fatherly affection and kissed her forehead. With an identical gesture from Garima and a wink from Aman, her family had left the room, leaving her with the enigmatic man, who for some reason had started making Khushi feel flustered.

"Hi..." He broke the silence with his husky voice.

Khushi managed a smile in response, knowing well that her voice would give away the butterflies in her stomach.

"Have a seat." Arnav gestured to the couch.

Khushi obediently made her way to the couch, trying her best to not display any of the confusion or nervousness. To ensure that he didn't make her more nervous than she already seemed, Arnav took a seat opposite of her instead of next to her.

He leaned forward, rested his elbows on his knees, bringing his hands together he entwined his fingers, all the while keeping his eyes trained solely on her.

"Are you enjoying the dancing?"

Whatever she had expected him to say, it wasn't that. "Yeah...so much that I didn't realize that the four of you had left the hall..." Khushi said, referring to Arnav, Aman, and her parents.

"I wanted to talk to them about the wedding date..."

"It's decided?" Khushi blurted.

"Not without your consent...no." Arnav held her gaze and hoped that she didn't look away; her emerald eyes were silently encouraging. "Originally, the suggested wedding date was in a week's time...that might change depending on your opinion...I've already spoken to both our parents and they're both fine with my proposal of postponing the wedding date."

Khushi searched his face for some kind of a hint. Was he deliberately talking in riddles? This didn't make sense to her. Why did he want to postpone the wedding?

"You...want to postpone the wedding?' Khushi frowned. "I thought you said that your family was pressed for time..."

Arnav couldn't help but give her a small smile. "Both our families want this wedding to happen as soon as possible...and thanks to Dadi and her tantrums...my family is more pressed for time than yours...but not so much that you can't finish your degree."

Khushi instinctively opened her mouth to say something but he held up his hand, making her pause. "This wedding shouldn't be a reason why you don't get to write those exams. We're only pushing the wedding back by ten days..."

Khushi looked thoughtful for a few seconds and then a smile broke out on her face. "That means Anjali can be here..."

Arnav shrugged, letting a small chuckle escape him. "If she doesn't end up in jail for killing us both...yes..."

Khushi giggled and then stopped abruptly. "Our plan to surprise Anjali..."

Arnav gave her an incredulous look. "Here we're discussing the wedding date getting postponed, you finishing your degree and the first thing that comes to your mind is our less-than-amazing-plan to surprise...scratch that...shock Anjali? Unbelievable..."

Khushi shrugged innocently, her emerald eyes twinkling with mischief. "I was kind of excited about it..."

Arnav shook his head at the woman in front of him. "We'll still shock her, then, I guess...we'll plan it out again..."

Silence prevailed for the next few long seconds while Khushi seemed to turn his idea over in her mind. Arnav couldn't understand why she was taking so long to agree to the damned plan! She had expressed her desires to study further during their first conversation then what was taking her so long to jump on this opportunity?

"Thank you..." Her voice was earnest and her tone dripped of genuineness. "I...I wanted to talk to you...and my parents about this...and I had every intention to do so once I figured out what the wedding date was...I didn't know how to bring it up to them or to you...I guess you beat me to it and I owe you this."

"You don't owe me anything." Arnav adjusted the engagement ring on his finger suggestively. "I'm not exactly a stranger anymore..."

Khushi smiled even as colour flooded into her cheeks. "That's true..."

After discussing the day when she would need to leave and what day she needs to come back, along with their plan to surprise Anjali, the two of them finally stood up to return downstairs to the hall where their absence was, no doubt, getting noticed.

He held the door open for her and with a grateful smile she made her way out of the door.

"Khushi?" Arnav spoke just as she passed him, making her heart flutter the same way it did every time he said her name.

She turned to face him questioningly. "Yeah?"

"Next time...if there is anything you want to talk to me about...please don't hold back..." It was an honest request with the slightest tint of authority to it.

Khushi nodded in agreement. She was no expert at this relationship stuff but she knew that this journey of theirs would be much easier if they shared their thoughts rather than keeping quiet.
_____


"About time!" Payal frowned in annoyance at Arnav and Khushi. "Way to disappear from your own engagement party!"

"Sorry for stealing her away from you..." Arnav smiled at Payal.

Payal poked Arnav's chest with her index finger and squinted dangerously. "You may be her fianc but you can never steal her away from me..."

"Calm yourself, Payal..." Khushi rolled her eyes. "I was only gone for half an hour..."

"It's still unacceptable!" Payal crossed her arms.

"Stop pestering them and just get on with what you want to do." Akash walked up to them and nudged Payal's arm with his.

"Dance." Payal ordered as if they were slaves to her will.

"As if Khushi needs an invitation..." Aman joined the gang.

"She may not...but Arnav does." Akash grinned.

"Excuse me?" Arnav raised his eyebrows.

"And he's supposed to be a doctor! Men, I tell you!" Payal grumbled and mumbled as she grabbed Arnav and Khushi's hands in each of her own and dragged them towards the dance floor where other couples were already enjoying a romantic dance and the soft melodious music.

"Look...I'm sorry for my irritated behaviour, okay...I don't know what's wrong with me...you two just enjoy yourselves..." Payal smiled apologetically before gathering Khushi in a hug. "And make sure you make this memorable...it will be your first dance ever!"

Khushi blushed a beetroot red and glared at Payal.

Gee thanks Payal...that's gotta help the butterflies and of course, that knowledge will calm me down!


Arnav wordlessly held out his hand to Khushi, surprising not only her but himself as well. Never before had he behaved in such a cheesy manner. Then again, never before had he met a Khushi Gupta in his life. There was something about this arranged marriage concept. He found himself wanting to, for the lack of a better word, impress Khushi. He wanted her to be comfortable with him, his family, and his values. He wanted to understand her better, get to know her more, and support her in things she wanted to do. That was the reason why he had spent long hours the past couple of days, coming up with a solution so that she gets to finish her degree.

Now, seeing her obvious love for dancing and Payal's suggestion of them dancing together, he'd found his hand automatically offer itself to her. Is it this way it is for all couples in an arranged marriage or is this particular to them...?

As wordlessly as him, Khushi placed her hand in his awaiting one and placed her other hand on his shoulder just as his arm wrapped around her waist tentatively. She sensed the apprehensions in his actions and instinctively, she knew that he was evaluating her reaction. She gave him a reassuring smile and saw him relax visibly as their steps fell into tune with each other and the music.

Smiling at them in approval, Payal turned to leave when her eyes caught Aman and Akash looking at her. And neither one wants to ask me to dance...especially my useless boyfriend! She turned away haughtily, raised her chin in the air and stalked off.

"What the hell happened to her?" Aman said as he watched Payal's retreating back.

Akash, though very aware of the reason behind Payal's annoyance, kept quiet. He'd been trying to avoid her to keep their charade in check and had ended up upsetting her. He knew that if he got too close to her, everyone would find out about them then and there because he wouldn't be able to keep his hands off of her and hers off of him. He'd make it up to her later.

"Why don't you ask her for a dance? That's gotta cheer her up." Aman suggested.

"Why don't you?" Akash retorted almost too quickly in an attempt to add an extra layer on the charade.

"Do you want us to end up killing each other? You know that we bicker like cats and dogs..."

"Yeah, that's true..." Akash grabbed the opportunity and made his way to Payal.

Let this wedding wrap up, then, I'll dissect the equation between you and Payal, Mr. ASS. Aman looked back at his sister who seemed to be saying something to Arnav, who was looking at her with arrant attention.

Aman couldn't be more wrong. Khushi was surely saying something but Arnav had drifted off into thoughts of lush green fields and emerald stones as he watched her bright eyes. In those few moments of closeness, Arnav learnt quickly that her face and eyes were both very expressive. The most innocent statement's hidden evil intentions were given away with that evil glint in her eyes. The fondness and affection for her parents and brother turned her eyes a warm and earthy green whenever she mentioned them. And he was clearly obsessed with them. It was the same obsession that caused him to utter the next words.

"You have beautiful eyes..." Arnav blurted and kicked himself mentally the very next second.

Khushi paused mid-sentence and forgot to breathe for a second. She could already feel the heat in her cheeks rising as the blood rushed in. He thinks I have beautiful eyes...! Never had a compliment made her feel so...so...pleasant!

"Thank you..." Her voice came out in a hushed tone.

Khushi felt as if she had run a marathon. She tried hard to control her breathing lest it give away the insane butterflies in her stomach.

In that moment, Khushi decided that Asha'd false impression of her son being shy needed to be eradicated. Fast. This man was a smooth charmer if he managed to make Khushi feel this way in a mere few days when other men hadn't managed to get even close to making her blush.

Unknown to all present in that room, even Khushi herself, that was the moment that started it all for Khushi Kumari Gupta.
_____

Khushi's heels clicked rhythmically on the smooth marble floor as she made her way towards the check-in gate. She could hear the padded thumps of Arnav's footsteps next to her and the constant faint grind of the wheels on her small bag, which Arnav had chivalrously taken out of her hand.

He had surprised her this evening by picking her up at her house. Her sneaky father and her oh-so-charming fianc had planned and plotted around her mother so that Khushi could have her first unofficial date with Arnav. After a slightly emotional goodbye to her family, they had "just picked up a coffee" on their way to the airport.

The conversation had been a bit awkward yet easy, as if two friends were hanging out after a time gap of a couple of years. It ranged from the difference between his black coffee and her sweetened caramel mocha latte to their preference of airlines for travelling to her exams and his residency.

The one hour of "picking up coffee" had added to their pools of knowledge of the other as well as to their collective pool of comfort in each other's presence. It also included them, finally, exchanging phone numbers.

And now here they were, approaching Khushi's check-in gate in companionable silence.

"Well...I'll see you in a week, I guess." Khushi turned to face him once they'd stopped a few feet from the counter.

Arnav smiled and nodded. "Good luck with those exams...but more than that...Good luck with Anjali..."

"Thank you for the reminder." Khushi rolled her eyes.

"Anytime." Arnav shrugged casually.

"Thank you for the coffee too..." Khushi held his gaze.

He looked amused, as if he were watching a child do something interesting. Not sure how to say goodbye to the man in front of him, Khushi awkwardly took a step closer.

"Um...Are you done with your thank you's?" Arnav raised an eyebrow and watched on as she looked away, slightly embarrassed. "Goodbye Khushi...have a nice flight."

"Thank you...oh." Khushi bit her tongue, realizing that she'd just thanked him yet again. The embarrassment brushed away when a throaty chuckle reached her ears and she watched on surprised as the small chuckle turned into a light rumble of free laughter. In all these days, she hadn't seen him laugh. Chuckle, yes...smile, yes...but laugh...?

"While we're at it...I would like to thank you again for this...I don't think I would have been able to convince my mother as easily as you have..." Khushi said seriously.

The laughter subsided and he became serious too. "Khushi, remember you'd asked me a few questions the first time we met...this was one of them...whether or not my family and I would be alright with you studying further...and I'd told you that you'll have all the freedom to pursue your career the way you want...I meant every word I said that day."

Khushi knew that without him telling her. So far, he had kept every word he'd spoken that day in response to her questions. He had said that she would have his support, along with his family, in anything she wanted to do with her career. He had also explained his views on how sometimes people want different things but the healthiest thing to do is compromise. Her parents wanted the wedding sooner, she wanted to finish her degree and he had gone ahead and come up with a solution to the dilemma.

With that thought came the memory of his answer to her question regarding physical intimacy.

"I expect the physical intimacy to grow naturally with time...but the initial few months will be spent getting to know one another, given the circumstances..."

Suddenly, she knew how she wanted to say goodbye to him at the moment. He'd taken the first step to show that he'll give in all his effort into this relationship, regardless of the circumstances in which it was formed, and she wasn't going to back down either. She would thank him like she thanks her friends and family.

Hoping that she won't offend him in anyway, she closed the distance and gave him a short, friendly hug. "Thank you...for keeping your word..."

Arnav was shocked at the unexpected hug simply because until now, she'd been busy blushing and looking away shyly. He hadn't expected her to be the first one to initiate anything as far as physical closeness of any kind of concerned. Before he could react, she had already stepped away, leaving a warm feeling within him which came from knowing that someone appreciated your presence. That's how she made him feel in that moment...honestly appreciated.

"Take care..." Khushi smiled.

He repeated the words and looked on, still dazed, as she turned on her heels, grabbed the bag and walked off. He stood there until she nearly turned the corner onto the boarding tunnel but at the last moment, she turned around to face him and waved at him with a brilliant smile.

Arnav's last thought before he turned away towards the exit was that he wanted this week to end quickly.
_____

"Khushi!!"

Khushi whirled around in time to get a two-second glimpse of a girl of similar height and frame, clad in navy skinny jeans and white top paired with a brown leather spring jacket running towards her. Khushi opened her arms to embrace the girl who'd quite literally thrown herself at her, her long brown hair obscuring Khushi's vision for a quick second.

"Hi Anjali...How--" Khushi tried to speak even as her friend had gathered her in a bone crushing hug.

"Oh my god! I'm so happy you're back!! I was worried that you were going to miss your exams! You're so crazy, do you know that! I've been emailing you and you forgot to give me your new number! How was I supposed to contact you?! How's uncle doing? Is he feeling better...oh he must be...that's why you're back! And you look different...what's different about you...NO! Did you cut your hair?! No, the hair's the same...what's different, dammit?! Ah, forget it...Give me that bag...let's go, the taxi is waiting...I didn't want to drive here today...it's raining outside and you know how much I hate driving in the rain...and why the hell are you so quiet?!"

"Anjali!!" Khushi came to an abrupt stop in front of Anjali to shut her up. "How can I talk when you've barely taken a second to breathe?!"

"Oh...well...excuse me if I have a lot to say after you disappeared like Mr. India for all these days!" Anjali rolled her eyes.

"Sounds to me like you've gone into your chatterbox mode because of exam stress." Khushi smirked and started walking again.

"Don't even go there. I was more stressed thinking that you'll come back married!"

Khushi froze in her spot, her jaw hanging open slightly. "What?!"

Anjali looked at her weirdly, as if Khushi had grown three heads and sprouted a beard and a moustache. "What? Remember what happened to Nisha? She went to India for a trip and came back with a husband on her arm?"

Khushi tried to think of a retort to that but decided to shut up simply because Anjali's outburst was spot on. If it weren't for Arnav, she definitely would have come back married.

As they started walking again, Khushi discreetly pulled on her leather gloves to hide the gang of diamonds with their emerald leader on her ring finger. Anjali was still chattering on as they continued walking from the arrivals gate to the taxi stands where their cab awaited them.

Khushi tried to pay attention but her mind had instantly gotten to work, noting the similarities and differences between Anjali and Arnav. They both had their mother's hazel eyes. Anjali seemed to have inherited the light brown hair from her mother while Arnav had dark hair, no doubt inherited from his father. Their personalities, she knew, were quite different. Anjali was talkative while he was relatively quiet. She didn't radiate the confidence he did. She exuded a warmer persona which didn't intimidate people...well, until she had a temper tantrum. With all said and done...Good looks clearly ran in the family!

Khushi tried to fill Anjali in on her trip to India as much as she could while excluding the biggest event that had taken place. She was hugely relieved when Anjali took over to fill Khushi in on the exam schedule, their study group arrangements.

That same day, Khushi went home and replaced the glove with a bandage around her ring and middle finger in an attempt to hide the ring from Anjali...simply because taking the ring off didn't feel right.

Through the next few days, Khushi and Anjali pretty much lived in the library as one caught up to her coursework and prepared for the exams while the other battled exam anxiety and tried to study to the best of her ability. Khushi and Arnav had made it a point to talk over the phone every day...the reason, or rather excuse, being that they had to discuss the wedding preps when in reality, deep in their hearts, both knew that there was something exciting about those phone conversations. Luckily for Khushi, Anjali passed off these phone calls as conversations between a brother and a sister.

Then, came the day of surprising Anjali...sooner than it was planned. After a celebratory dinner in honour of the end of their exams, Khushi and Anjali had planned a movie night with just the two of them. Khushi had excused herself and gone to take a refreshing shower while Anjali had volunteered to arrange for the junk food and snacks that usually completed a girls' night.

In her room, Khushi combed her fingers through her damp hair and changed out of the robe, into her comfortable Pajamas.

"Khushi, let's go!! The pizza's here!" Anjali yelled from the living room.

Rolling her eyes at her friend's impatience, Khushi grabbed the phone from the dressing table and walked out into the room, forgetting all about the bandage that was supposed to hide her ring, letting it rest forlorn on the counter in the bathroom, where she'd left it before she went into the shower.

"That smells amazing!" Khushi walked into the kitchen. "What're we watching?"

"Knight and day or The proposal?"

Khushi hopped onto the counter, settling cross legged next to the pizza box. "Hmm...Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise kicking @$ or Sandra Bullock kicking Ryan's @$..."

Khushi tapped her chin trying to decide between the two movies. The shocked gasp from her friend brought her out of her thoughts and she looked at Anjali in time to see the large plastic bowl of popcorn slip out of her hands and clatter on the floor, sending popcorn flying into every corner of the kitchen.

"What. The. Fuck. Is. That!" Anjali spat.

"What?" Khushi frowned confusedly.

"That!" Anjali raised her hand and pointed at the offending ring on Khushi's left hand. "What the fuck is that?!"

Khushi followed the line of Anjali's index finger and her eyes immediately caught the glittering stones on her finger. Well, hell.

"Oh, shit!" Khushi jumped off the counter and ran at the same moment Anjali lunged in her direction.

Khushi ran around the island counter to the opposite end, putting as much distance between herself and Anjali as possible. No sooner had she reached than a banana flew past hear head, missing her by mere inches.

"WHAT THE HELL KHUSHI GUPTA!" Anjali roared. "YOU GOT ENGAGED??"

Anjali picked up an orange and an apple from the fruit bowl and threw them at Khushi which were dodged expertly.

"Anjali...hear me out..."

"You freaking got engaged without telling me and you want me to hear you out?!"

"Oh dear lord, what have I unleashed?!" Khushi gaped at Anjali who was currently, frantically, looking for something to throw.

"When did you get engaged? Who the hell did you get engaged to?! I want all the details right now, do you understand? And if I don't like him, I have full right to reject him and you're not going to argue with me." Anjali crossed her arms.

"I'm sure you won't reject him...but"" Khushi ducked as a spatula came hurtling towards her.

"You dare be so confident about that?!"

"Listen Anjali...whoa!! Drop the knife...don't kill me just yet...at least hear me out!" Khushi pleaded even as she prepared to flee the kitchen.

Anjali slammed the knife on the counter and crossed her arms. "You have two minutes."

Khushi sighed. "my dad's cancer has advanced to last stage...his only wish and request from me was that I get married...and I am as guilty as charged for not having told you but...this is exactly why. I knew I had to explain this to you in person...My parents have never asked me for anything Anjali...how could I deny them this one thing they asked...I only got engaged ten days ago and after my family and my in-laws...you're the first one to know anyway...please try and understand...I wouldn't have gotten married without you there..."

"How do I know? You got engaged didn't you? Whole TEN freaking days ago!" Anjali looked away stubbornly.

"What would you have done if you were in my place?" Khushi relaxed, seeing the kink in Anjali's armour.

Anjali opened her mouth to speak and then closed it when no retort came to her, looking like a goldfish. The two women stood and looked at each other, each just as stubborn, and each just as defensive.

"When do I get to meet him?"

"Tomorrow." Khushi answered at once. "It was supposed to be a surprise for you..."

"Shock is the correct term." Anjali stomped her foot.

"Fine...it was supposed to be a shock for you...but you got it ahead of time and it's my own foolishness..."

Anjali sighed dejectedly. "Fine...but I'll tell you right now that I already don't like him and I'm not happy about this."

Khushi suppressed a smirk. "Why?"

"Because he's getting in the way of my plan!" Anjali whined.

"Plan?" Khushi's brain perked up at the word. This was news to her.

"Yes!" Anjali threw her hands in the air in exasperation. "It was all perfect! I've put in so much plotting into this plan! I was making this super mastermind plan of hooking you up with my brother!"

Now it was Khushi's turn to imitate a goldfish. She was making a plan to do what?!

"Excuse me..?"

"I know I know...but it would have been perfect! You'd be my sister-in-law and we'd be family and all of it would have been absolutely perfect but you had to go ahead and get engaged to Mr...Mr. I-Mess-Up-Anjali's-Plans-and-look-like-a-Godzilla."

Khushi chuckled. "You were planning to hook me up with your brother?"

"It's not funny." Anjali tossed popcorn at Khushi.

"I'm sorry...I shouldn't laugh but..." Another giggle escaped Khushi.

"Go to hell! I'll find some other hot woman for my brother."

"Thank you for the compliment." Khushi winked.

"Argh! Leave me alone! I so want the details of your engagement and your stupid ugly fianc but I'm too annoyed right to care about him so I'm going to hold off on this discussion until I meet him tomorrow. But my gut feeling says that he will be rejected...he won't be able to impress me. Just stay prepared for that! I'm part psychic...and my psychic powers are telling me that he will be rejected. That's it."

With that Anjali stalked off grumbling something about inconsiderate people not thinking about other people's plans and feelings.

Khushi stood there in the kitchen and allowed herself to laugh at the coincidence. Now she was more eager than ever to see Anjali's reaction tomorrow. When she meets the stupid ugly fianc, when she meets Mr. I-Mess-Up-Anjali's-Plans-and-look-like-a-Godzilla, and when she figures out that he is none other than her very own brother!

Maybe Anjali won't kill them for this engagement. After all, she was planning to make this happen, wasn't she? She'll be happy that it has worked out without her insane planning...right?

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