UE part 27

They watched the two dancing away happily..Khushi with rounded eyes while Arnav fixed his eye at the duo with a cool stare and clenched teeth...

he had his teeth clenched at what Supriya did, true , how could someone dump Arnav Singh Raizada like that ,but it was not the kind of teeth clenching he had been engaging in some time before at the Rohit Khushi encounter...no, it certainly wasn't..

"can you believe they dumped us?" Khushi finally gasped in exasperation..

Arnav kept staring at the dancing duo...

"i mean YOU I can understand, all you must have spoken to her all this while must have been a 'dammit!' ...but me? How could Rohit do this to me? I was constantly talking!"

"exactly the point" Arnav gave a side look at her..

before Khushi could frame a smart answer to that fresh insult he added-

"and nobody 'dumps' Arnav Singh Raizada"

Khushi giggled... "oh yes..apparently" pointing at Supriya..

Arnav stared stone faced at her...

"i said. NOBODY. Dumps Arnav Singh Raizada. Who IS she to dump me after all. 'I' just dumped her.."

Khushi shook her head incredulously at him..

"WHO is she to dump you? Allow me to quote, she is a person with 'taste of art' which as per you 'is not everyone's piece of cake'.. well, I must say, you weren't wrong on the taste thing.." Khushi rolled her tongue mischievously in her mouth..

Arnav was not a moment delayed in his retort-

"says the one who has just been dumped by a, allow me to quote- 'real brainy guy'..and now that I think of it..you weren't all that wrong when you said that either.

Khushi widened her eyes at this..

"Brainy guy my foot! He is a DOLT! Like who signs off his entire life to sitting on a computer doing WORK! And that too software engineer of the year! Proves that he has totally lost all perspective in life! Thank you very much but I wouldn't like to spend my entire life snoring beside such a bore!! I dump HIM! At least Supriya has some taste!"

now it was Arnav's turn to do a 180 degree turn..

"taste?" he mockingly raised an eyebrow.. "spends entire life arranging pots and furniture and calls it taste"

both stood silently contemplating over the points trying to convince themselves that it was they who had dumped their respective partners and not the other way round...

finally after a few moments Khushi sighed at him..

"Mr Raizada, why is this becoming a 'till death do us apart' thing for us?"

Arnav looked at her..

"i mean , this was SUCH a simple plan !! nothing could have gone wrong! Turns out everything did! Now what are we supposed to do?? "

Arnav raised a questioning brow..

Khushi sighed in exasperation..

"you gave your word to my mother! And she is sitting at home with a garland in one hand and a hockey stick in the other depending on what we make of this evening!"

she bit her lower lip in worry..

"stop it"

"what?"

"stop eating your lip"

"i am talking to you on such a serious matter and you are looking at my lip!" she glared at him..

"SHUT UP! I am asking you to try and behave yourself when in my company"

"YOU don't behave yourself while in your own company! Why should I?"

"JUST SHUT UP KHUSHI KUMARI GUPTA. Don' act smart with me"

"i am not acting smart. I am smart"

"what delusion!"

"for you"

"i quit. You can't do it"

"can't do what?"

"shut up"

Khushi blew fire as she huffed puffed after an Arnav who went and coolly seated himself at a table..

finally the correct couple sat on one table and since they were done with their dinner, dessert bowls were served before them..

"so..what's to be done now?" she blinked at him...at the same time taking in large mouthfuls of ice creams into her mouth.

"can you stop stuffing your mouth like that?" Arnav made a face..

"hmm? You smaid smomthin?" she managed to say...

"unbelievable! Swallow, and then speak dammit!"

Khushi gulped the freezing ice cream down her throat..then squeezed her eyes shut at the impact..

"what is your problem? Don't bite your lip, don't stuff your mouth, don't speak like this don't do like that! Always correcting me! This that-"

Arnav raised his eyes to look at her and answer but one look was enough to have him speechless..

an Arnav who was totally subconsciously, but rejoicing at the fact that the beautiful 'RED' clad Khushi was finally sitting next to him (yes, it was a beautiful red now..INSULTING RED canceled..) couldn't help but smirk and get lost at the sight..

as a consequence of stuffing her mouth fully with the fast melting liquid, a drop of the stuff had escaped from the corner of her lips and was making a speedy way down.. that coupled with her large doe eyes wide at him, her eyelids batting in indignation , Khushi looked nothing short of a total doll..a very pretty doll, a very pretty doll wearing red..wearing red and looking very- PERIOD!

his spoon raised midway in the air as the liquid poured drop by drop onto his black coat..

Khushi stared at him..

"um..Mr Raizada?"

silence..

"Mr Raizada!!" She waved her hand before him and he snapped out of his trance..

"what?"

"for all that talk on manners, you are setting a very good example"

she pointed at his coat..

"oh shit!" Arnav exclaimed as he saw the consequence of his 'getting lost'..

crumpling a tissue in his hand he wiped it off, while Khushi giggled..

he finished and took another tissue out handing it out to her..

Khushi furrowed her brow..

"what for? If you think I am going to wipe it for you, you better re-think bec-"

"wipe your mouth"

"what?..oh.." She colored...wiped her mouth hurriedly and then spoke..

"so, let's come to the point, we were supposed to come with our respective partners and signal a breakup. Turns out that the same people have signaled a 'make up' and we are left sitting in Golden Horizon gobbling ice creams with my mother waiting at home, who would ,i am sure, be too thrilled to know that a prospective fiance for me is dancing away on 'it's a wonderful night' while I sit here with the rumored one discussing our failed breakup"

"can you shut up and let me think!"

"fine! Think!"

one second..two seconds..three seconds..

"Mr Raizada"

Arnav pressed his forehead with his fingers ..3 seconds! 3 seconds was all this girl could manage to remain shut !"

"what?"

"you didn't tell me. Why did you come home yesterday?"

she wouldn't leave it be..

"you turned down Aakash's AR offer?" he eyed her..

"what? Oh that! um..well I had to"

"why?"

"what why? I can't work under my rumored fiance in his office! Anyway, I am considering another offer, for the same job, media analyst..at ITC Group"

ITC..That means a company.. a company of his competitor...who was young..who was a man...who could like her...engage her...marry her...she would be his competitor's wife...they would come to parties..hold hands...dance...Arnav was just short of picturing their kids now...and for some reason, it made him seethe in fury..

"you are not"

"what?"

"i said you will NOT consider ITC!"

"why? It's my choice"

"till we don't breakup it's not. My fiance would never be working under some good for nothing in some good for nothing place"

"excuse me! How can you call them 'good for nothing'? And anyway, we are breaking up tonight right? And I am not planning to start the job after 2 minutes! And where did all this come from? You had no problem with my Indian Times job "

"i have a problem with this"

"fine! Then lets break up NOW!"

"FINE"

silence..

"we don't need to break up right? We are not committed in the first place! We need to SHOW that we broke up..so let's start..let's start fighting"

Arnav crossed his arms across his chest..

"fine.start"

silence..

silence...

"well..i mean I need something to start the fight about right! Say something!"

"what?"

"how will I know? I can't just start shouting randomly at you!"

silence..

Khushi braced herself..okay, she just had to shout, there would be a fight, and they would break up, to hell with her anti breakup crusader image now..there was no other way...she wanted this breakup..yes, yes she wanted this breakup, no Khushi don't remember the butterflies,don't... he had held her from falling..."Khushi it's..it's fine I am here.." the words rang in her ears...the worry in his eyes...her own sense of relief as she had rested against him...the placing of palm on forehead...playing criss cross in the car...getting wet in the rain..it's all getting over...Khushi stop! You want this breakup right? '.Right? Just do it..

"Okay, I will start okay?" she gulped, as she suddenly felt something go heavy within her.. "Ready? 1..2...3...MR RAIZADA HOW CAN YO- ...HOW CAN-oh shit!... It's not happening. I am sorry Mr Raizada it's not happening...You try" she slapped her palms on the table..

Arnav stared at her..he had to try..okay...shout at her, very easy, shout at her and get over with this relationship..this relationship...this crazy girl..this very pretty crazy girl..who made him play criss cross in his car, who bought gifts with him...who..who could drag him to the kitchen for her pasta...who could be wet from head to toe in a most ordinary dress and look adorable..who could..STOP! This is supposed to be a break up! And he was supposed to start it!"

fine..

"Okay.." he muttered..staring at her doe eyes..

"Khushi-"

"louder Mr Raizada, it's supposed to be heard..."

"KHUSH-..."

"KHU-.."

silence...

she gave him a 'please proceed' look..

"DAMN!" he banged his fist on the table..why was this being so impossible??? why couldn't he just finish with it!!!

and when Arnav Singh Raizada confuses Arnav Singh Raizada, Arnav Singh Raizada blames someone else for it!

"you can speak for 24 hours at a stretch but can't do a stupid damn shouting! I don' care what happens to this now, I am a busy man and I have had enough of this nonsense, if you want to shout , shout and get over with this !if not I don't give a damn and I am leaving!"

he moved to get up..

"you gave your word for it!" Khushi looked at him..

"i did. And I will tell your mother her daughter didn't co-operate"

he started moving..

"excuse me? 'I' didn't co-operate??"

Anjali ran her fingers over the saree standing inside the Shiraz showroom..nice shade, this one, his favorite colour..STOP! Enough..you will not think of that man anymore..out of sight, out of mind,out of life-she stepped back and tripped over the stool placed by the side..

"Easy!" someone caught her arm.. as she hurriedly stabled herself on her feet and looked at the man who had just helped her...

Nihaal flashed his 32 out at her.. "happens! Chill..by the way, this is Nihaal"

she smiled.. "thanks ..Anjali here"

"ohkay...i must say your gender wears terribly confusing clothes..i am out of my wits on what to buy for my cuz (cousin)"

Anjali smiled..

"not that I don't have a way with women" he added as he slumped an arm over a mannequin's shoulder by his side..

Anjali widened her eyes...

"like look at this one..even she can't resist.." he pointed at the smiling mannequin and Anjali had to bite her lower lip to control her laughter..

"oh yes..she looks, I would say..quite elated" she giggled...and then widened her eyes as Nihaal adjusted his mobile to take a pic of himself embracing the mannequin...she looked left and right to check whether anyone was seeing them..this man was unbelievable!!

"what are you doing? What will people think?"

"that I am-OH SHIT!" he exclaimed as the watch he had been wearing hooked into the mannequin's saree and ripped it as he moved forward..

Anjali widened her eyes.. "oh gosh..i..i think you will have to report to-"

"are you crazy?" he turned to her "i should go and tell them I tore a lady's saree-"

"she is a mannequin!"

"a LADY mannequin! I go and tell them I tore her saree? Won't they wonder how? Do you even realize what a pervert kind of image that sketches of me -DUCK!"

"what?"

"DUCK!" he whispered urgently and grabbing Anjali's hand pulled her down with him behind the counter..

"WHAT are you doing?"

"shh...the showroom staff is coming!"

"so? We should hide like this?! We need to report it you know-"

"check the price tag"

"what?"

"check the price of the dress!"

"um..25,000"

"okay" he grabbed a checkbook from his pocket, scribbled the amount and his signature on it, then holding one end of the saree tied the cheque to it..

"that's better..now run"

"what?"

"run before someone catches us with this mannequin!"

"YOU run! Why should I run? I didn't tear it!"

"point! I was just creating excitement..anyway, I will run alone, bye!"

"are you crazy?"

"it's in my family..just meet my cousin..she is worse..currently trapped in a relationship with a guy she thinks is cement or something, now tell me who is crazy?"

"you both are!"

"point! Now BYE!"

Anjali watched with rounded eyes as Nihaal scurried out of the showroom..this man reminded her so much of..of..oh yes! Of khushi...

They were stopped right at the door by the media...there were several camera flashes..they tried to move but had to stop..Arnav halted..they HAD to face these people sooner or later. Better to get done with it. He held Khushi's hand within his own..they both knew the breakup was horribly ruined..

"so Mr Raizada, is your fiance-"

"as we said, we are not fiances as yet.."

"and when is that happening?"

" maybe soon, maybe not.."

"you look adorable together!"

silence...

"so mam, is Mr Raizada a..shall we say romantic prince?"

Khushi felt a sharp increase in the pressure of the grip with which he was holding her hand..as if a warning signal- 'don't you dare'..

Khushi totally got his warning signal and smiled a devilish smile on the inside..now you pay Mr Raizada..

"oh absolutely!" she beamed at them and Arnav looked at her , or rather swiveled his head to her, as if she had just shouted 'DRACULA!'

she smiled an innocent angelic smile.. "he never fails to surprise me you know..like just this morning..i opened his gift and there was this pink heart shaped box with these little pink shaped-"

"Khushi" Arnav hissed out a warning..

"you said something Arnav?" she looked with a puppy dog face at him.. "nothing? Oh well, where was I? Oh yes! And there were these pink heart paper cut outs and in the middle of them my favourite chocolates. I was so touched"

it had it all-

pink box

heart shaped

pink heart paper cut outs

chocolates

everything which qualified as physically slapping Arnav Singh Raizada straight on the face..

Arnav was not holding her hand anymore..he was literally squeezing the blood out of it..

there were several 'ooo's from the gathering..followed by several clappings..someone even whistled from far behind..

Khushi completely ignoring the increasing pressure on her palm continued beaming at a crowd which seemed to have become official Khushi Kumari Gupta fans. One, because she was downright charming and another, because of the big revelation she had made to them..

the 'pink' side to Arnav Singh Raizada..

Suddenly the pressure on her palm totally eased... and Khushi slowly turned her head towards Arnav..

and the smile on her face slowly started fainting as she saw a smirk appearing on his...

but it was not his smirk which disturbed her..it was his eyes..

and her intuition told her it would be best to wave a goodbye to the gathering and make an exit..

"thank you so much everyone! And thankyou for all your wishes. I am so grateful" she smiled and moved to go when the pressure on her palm once again sharpened...

"one moment dear" Arnav called out and she whirled her head towards him in surprise..

looking into his eyes that said- your turn over,now mine...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------