UE part 16

"SAREE??"

"um...yes Khushiji..i'm so sorry, but that's what I wear and nani and I..we are the only women in the house.."

Anjali said as she fumbled inside her wardrobe for something...

"there it is!" she exclaimed taking out a box from inside... "You can wear this one..it's new and I have not worn it even once..so it's a gift"

"goodness NO!!" Khushi immediately refused..

"why? What's wrong with it?"

"nothing's wrong with it! But it's YOUR gift day not mine!! just give me any of your old dresses-"

"you didn't like the saree"

"i never said that!"

"you think my taste is poor"

"goodness no!"

"you are wondering how could I give you something as atrocious!"

"ANJALI DI NO!"

"then wear it"

"but-"

"see! You think it's yuck"

"you are blackmailing me aren't you?"

"works with my brother. Might just work with you"

"your brother and I are poles apart"

"...yes...yes of course you are"

"why are you smiling?"

"no..i am not smiling. Why? Should I be smiling?"

"no..i mean..why are you looking at me like that?"

"like what?"

"never mind...i'll change"

"that's like it!"

Anjali turned around and grinned...

Khushi turned around, confused...

Drying her hair with a towel as it fell loosely on her shoulders Khushi glanced at the mirror once again...she HATED wearing a saree, it was so unmanageable, holding here, balancing there...

The sequenced border scintillated in the light as she pressed the folds of the red garment neatly (yes it's red, and you are allowed to smile)

"Khushi are you done?" Anjali called..

"yes di! Just coming"

They walked together down the stairs..

Arnav, who had come down long back ,having dried and changed once again and was waiting for his sister looked up to see as they descended down..

and if your stomach could do somersaults...this would certainly be the feeling it would induce..

she was looking...fabulous. There was no denying the fact.

Around him, several heads were turning as Khushi descended down consciously smoothing her moist hair..

his second suit was just saved from getting spoilt as the drink glass he had been holding was saved from spilling it's contents onto his coat when a voice shook him out of the trance..

"finally! The birthday girl's back!"

oh yes..

Khushi passed by him making a disgusted face..

he kept his plastic expression intact...

"let's have a snap together" Anjali nudged Khushi as she placed her cellphone in front of their faces..

They both gave a wide grin and * click *

"oh..that was nice, now let's have THE snap together!" Khushi said raising her own mobile..

"THE snap??"

"yes! That's where the real fun lies. You make a crazy face ,i make a crazy face and then we LOL about it"

"oh my god..i have never had any such photo sessions"

"never??" Khushi asked disbelievingly "i have dozens of joker pics of myself"

"fine get ready I am clicking"

all this time Arnav stood looking at them from a considerable distance...wondering whatever they were up to

"1..."

"2..."

"3.."

"CLICK!"

Anjali and Khushi both immediately bore their heads into the mobile...and then Anjali bent almost half with laughter..

Khushi herself was mad laughing...the snap was absolutely crazy..

Anjali and Khushi both making finger horns behind each other's heads, Khushi with her eyes rolled in a ghostly manner upwards, Anjali shrinking her facial features as much as was humanly possible, both exposing their 32 teeth out...they looked GHASTLY!

Arnav had himself widened his eyes to quite a great extent courtesy the scene which had played before him..WHAT WAS KHUSHI DOING?... WHAT WAS DI DOING?... HELL, WHAT WERE THEY BOTH DOING????"

Now they were still mad with laughter

now di was requesting to see the picture once again

now both were giggling again

great! Now it was being transferred via bluetooth

now di was checking her own cellphone and laughing again

"unbelievable.." he helplessly uttered..

"sir?" the waiter called to him

"hm?"

"your water sir"

"yeah.."

he took the glass...he needed water!! unbelievable...like..di??? seriously??

when you realize there's only one way you could do something...you are left with no option but to do that thing in that one way...

and the only way to start a conversation with Paayal was to start talking of books..

"what were you thinking about, so lost?" Aakash asked her..

"oh nothing.."

"well guess what? All that talk you did on classic novels reminded me of Agony and Ecstasy"

"You have read Agony and Ecstasy???" Paayal looked shocked at him..

"i certainly have"

yes he said that. What he didn't say was that it was the only classic novel he had ever read and would ever read in his entire lifetime and that he used to read it as a sleep inducer before bed during college days.

"so touching isn't it?"

"heart wrenching indeed!" he replied with great enthusiasm..

"i lost my sleep after reading it!"

he kept silent...

very obviously..

The guests had left, the driver accompanied by a chauffer had dropped Khushi and Paayal home, that after they had vehemently denied Aakash's offer of doing the job himself.. (to which Anjali had again raised eyebrows at her brother number 2... who hated driving..interesting)

and then the family had given their gifts...

and Anjali had gone back to her room..few moments later there was a knock at the door..as Arnav stood before his sister

"um..di!"

"ya chotte?"

"i.."

"oh yes! I forgot! Where's my cheque?" the only time of the year when she asked her brother for a cheque..

"no..i mean..i have bought a gift for you..."

Anjali couldn't believe her ears..

"you..you bought a gift?"

"forget it di. You won't like it" he spoke hastily and turned to go..

Anjali held his arm and snatched the bag from his hands...

sitting on the bed she took out the contents and drew in a sharp breath..

"OIL PAINT!"

"i know di, you-"

"COMPLETE BRUSH SET!!"

"di I know, just forget it, i-"

"I LOVE IT!"

"just throw it away, I knew you woul..wait! what?"

"I LOVE IT!!!!"

"you..you do?"he asked disbelievingly..

"chotte it's THE gift! It's beeeaaauutiful!"

a slow smile spread across Arnav's face as he saw the delight in his sister's eyes as she ran her hands over the set..di had never called any of those cheques beautiful..or had checked them out so many times..

Anjali hugged him tight..

"so..you bought it along with someone?"

"ya...i'll go di, i've got work"

"was it Khushi?"

"she was there"

"was . It .Khushi ?"

"whatever" he said as he stormed out of the room..

Anjali clapped her hands together.. so it was Khushi and chotte!! and she hugged her gift tightly..

A slow smile spread across Arnav's face as he lay down on the bed.

Khushi Kumari Gupta...

that red saree was good..

and the rain...the torchlight...

SLEEP DAMMIT!!!

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