UE part 15

They jumped out of the car from either side and Arnav slammed the door shut..

Khushi followed him with the torch...

the raindrops splattered playfully on them and Khushi shivered with delight as a grin spread across her face..

"disgusting" Arnav muttered impatiently as the raindrops flowed down his body..

"disgusting?? you find the rain disgusting? How can't anyone like the rain?"

"i hate it"

"i love it"

"whatever"

He busied himself with inspecting the problem with the car..

Khushi meanwhile got lost in the tiny raindrops falling all around her..beautiful..she felt like skipping away in delight..

in the process, she completely forgot the purpose for which she had hopped out and absent mindedly, dreaming, she rested one end of the torch on her chin, the beam facing towards the sky..

as a consequence, the rear of the car became pitch dark for the bent Arnav once again..

he rolled his eyes, muttered 'unbelievable' and straightened to look at her folding his arms..

and now it was his turn to forget the purpose for which he had hopped out..

Khushi's face was illuminated with the light of the torch resting on her chin...a slight, but beautiful, dreamy smile ruled her face as her eyes tightly shut she held her face up, the raindrops splattering down

on her

for the first time, rain didn't seem so bad after all...

it felt...beautiful...

her smile seemed to be contagious...he felt himself smiling from within..eyes narrowing a little at her...

moments passed...

he gulped...and then slowly realized what he was doing..

coming to that, WHAT WAS HE DOING???

Arnav Singh Raizada didn't drool!!!

"excuse me!"

he clicked with his fingers before Khushi and she hastily opened her eyes...and deeply coloured..

"i have seen your face before.."

"i know..so?" she asked, confused..

"so would you mind focusing the beam on the car instead?"

Khushi immediately grew a deeper shade of red..

"of course..i.."

it was not a major issue and soon they were both seated back inside the car..

"where?" he spoke as the car seats got wet along with them..

"what where?"

"where's the shop dammit!"

"oh yes! Go straight and take a left, we're not very far.."

The car screeched to a halt beside a shop with shutters pulled down...

They widened their eyes and Arnav turned with a fuming face and raised a brow at her..

"OH GOSH!" Khushi slapped her forehead with her hand "what day is it?"

"sunday!"

"oh hell" she buried her face in her hands "it's closed on sundays"

Arnav could kill her at the moment..

"what.the.hell"

"i forgooottt" she moaned..

"i didn't come all the way to this place to play criss cross and get wet in the rain with you dammit! Do you get that Khushi Kumari Gupta! I was a bunging fool to believe a bunging fool like-"

"can you please stop shouting?? take a left!"

"what?"

"TAKE A LEFT!" she raised her voice..

grinding his teeth, he took a left...

"stop" they had reached a mall now..

"you don't get out ok?" she turned to him "i don't want to be seen with you"

"oh as if i'm dying" he snapped back..

"and hide your face in your lap"

"SHUT UP! I am doing nothing of the sort."

"but-"

"shut. up. and. GO!"

she rushed inside and was back in 20 minutes with a huge bag in her hands..

"done! Now let's go"

"what is it?"

she proceeded to take out a big oil paint box ,the complete set with all available colours, of the finest quality, a big wooden box which she clicked open displaying an entire set of paintbrushes, of every available kind, a palette and all another box with 'complete oil paint kit' written on it..

he couldn't believe his eyes..

"you bought this?"

she smiled.. "you can stick a big fat cheque on this if you think it's not expensive enough..but believe me, your sister is one hell of a painter and nothing can make her happier than this! It's a bet..."

"di paints?"

"you never knew did you? How could you? I had to literally dig it out of her..she showed me a painting she had secretly made ages ago and it was unbelievable!"

Arnav was terribly confused...

"di could have always bought it if she wanted it so bad!"

"that's exactly the point! It's ok to buy clothes, jewelry and all by yourself, but when it comes to buying something requiring skill and talent it's embarrassing to go out and get it for yourself..you are always apprehensive, and always underestimate yourself..get it as a gift, and it becomes an excuse..she doesn't believe she can do it now,after,you know..and I believe she certainly can! in fact it will help her out.."

Arnav couldn't relate to what she was saying...

"she better like it" he mumbled..

"oh she will..."

"we'll see"

Arnav jumped out of the car and started marching towards the house

"WAIT!" Khushi called out.. he turned to her..

"are we going inside like THIS??"

Arnav gave her an obvious look.. "how else?"

no way could she let that happen.. being seen on the doorway by dozens of guests, in a dripping wet condition along with The Arnav Singh Raizada himself.. just that very morning there had been this rubbish news in the papers and no way she would volunteer in fanning the flames all the more..

"do you realize we are dripping wet?"

Arnav crossed his arms and stood before her... "what do you propose we do about it? Wait till we dry?"

he spoke in a voice laced with sarcasm..

she made a face at him..then stood with crossed brows looking at the ground biting her nails..

Arnav made a disgusted expression.. "stop doing that!"

"what?" she looked up..

"stop eating your nails.."

she coloured..

"i am not eating my nails"

"really?" he raised his eyebrow..

"i am just pretending to"

"i see"

"is there a back entrance to your house?"

"what?"

"IS THERE A BACK ENTRANCE TO YOUR HOUSE?" she raised her voice..

Arnav closed his eyes..this girl was the limit..

"yes. Why?"

"where does it open to?"

"pool area"

"fine. You go inside, make up some excuse for your absence, say you have no idea where I am, then send your sister and my sister to your pool area"

"What?"

she raised her voice, perhaps this cement pile was a little deaf too..

"I SAID FINE. YOU GO INSI-"

"SHUT UP! I heard it the first time!" he snapped

"then why are you saying 'what' after each sentence I am speaking?

"ya right..i should straight away say 'ridiculous' !"

"are you leaving or not?'

he turned to go..

"Wait!"

"now what???" he said impatiently..

"i am not accustomed to the back entrances of strange people's houses! Show me the way!"

he took a deep breath before pointing a side pathway to her.. "go straight and take a left"

"and what if the back entrance is closed?"

"it is"

"great! So how am I supposed to go inside?? go and open it!"

"stop commanding me! You heard that?" he said from between clenched teeth

"fine. With a cherry on top, will you please open your back entrance door for me Mr Raizada?"

"you-" he stormed forward..

"please 'you!' me later..now go!!!"

he grinded his teeth once more before storming away..he'd see to her later..

The eyes of the entire assembly now anxious about their absence widened as they saw the sight at the doorway...Arnav Singh Raizada, owner of the AR chain of industries, stood dripping at the doorway shaking the water out of his hair..

there were several gasps heard..

"chotte!" Anjali moved to him..

"where the hell have you been?? and what were you up to??"

Arnav just stood looking at her and she realized that people were watching..Paayal followed from behind..

"Anjaliji i'm really worried for Khushi now..it's been over an hour! Where on earth is she??"

Anjali looked with questioning eyes at her brother...

Arnav turned to the gathering instead..

"Ladies and gentlemen, please carry on, apologies for my absence, something urgent came up"

he bent and whispered to the two women by his side..

"come to the pool area"

"what?"

"what?"

both of them said in unison..

"Khushi's waiting for you"

Anjali widened her eyes in surprise while Paayal shook her head in exasperation...Khushi was THE limit!

Anjali and Paayal turned to their dripping wet siblings with folded arms , waiting for an explanation..

"now can we please know what on earth was up with the two of you?"

"she fainted and I drove her"

"he fainted and I drove him"

Arnav Khushi spoke in perfect unison , then shot a look at each other..

Paayal and Anjali raised their eyebrows..

Anjali finally rolled her tongue inside her mouth, and passed a very disturbing smile to her brother, who very much got disturbed by her gesture, before she turned to face Paayal..

"Paayal ji, I guess they both fainted and the car drove them here..doesn't it seem so?"

Arnav fumed with puffed nostrils..

"while you think of a lesser lame excuse why don't the two of you go and change first?"

"whatever" Arnav grumbled as he stormed towards his room..

"Khushiji! You please come with me, i'll give you something to change into"

Paayal bored holes into Khushi with her eyes, as Khushi deliberately avoided them and followed Anjali sheepishly to her room..

passing Arnav she hissed at him..

"this is the last time i'm going anywhere with you!"

"oh I'm shattered" came his sarcastic response...

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