He Loves Me Not - Part 9

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Chapter 9

“Yes, that’s me” Khushi accepts. “What will you do?” she turns off the Television.

Arnav strides predatorily at her.

“Why?” he snaps. “Why are you doing this??”
“Out of everyone else, I cannot imagine you don’t know why I am doing this Arnav”’ she mocks with a chuckle.
Arnav reaches her and grips her forearms.
“I asked you to stay clear of me, didn’t I?” he scowls. “I am goddamm engaged Khushi Gupta. You know what you are doing now is not going to be decent in other’s eyes. You very well know what people like you are called. Don’t make it difficult for yourself”




Khushi processes his strong reactions and it hurts to hear what he wants to convey.

“I don’t care what people call me and so shouldn’t you if you don’t feel anything for me” she snaps.
Arnav swallows hard. Her earnestness in still loving him is pricking his heart.
“You should care, Khushi Gupta. Because you are not alone. Your father and Buaji are connected to you and your one wrong step will directly hit their heart”
“As I said, you shouldn’t care” she replies in the same unaffected tone.

Arnav clenches his jaw and leaves her.

“This is the last time I am warning you. Stop your tricks and go back to London. Work there, get a life. Fetch a partner, get married and have babies. Don’t dream of wining my love, it’s never going to happen”
Khushi is not going to buy that dismissive reply.

“I have planned all of this Arnav.. the job… marriage.. babies… everything.. I have dreamt all of this too very much in advance, but with you beside me”

Arnav fists his fingers and turns around to avoid facing her.
“You are crossing the line” he warns.
“What am I supposed to do if what I want is beyond the line? Of course, I have to cross it”
“I don’t belong to you” he snaps meeting her gaze again.
“You can physically withdraw yourself from me, not emotionally. I know you have been thinking about me every time”
“Don’t build castles in the air, you will fall down”
“I know you will catch me” she smiles.
“I won’t” his resolve is as strong as a mountain.

Their eyes are locked in each other’s and none of them are willing to show some liberty in breaking this argument.

“Let us judge that when I fall. Let’s see how much you can resist yourself from saving me and confronting your feelings for me”

Arnav becomes speechless. Khushi doesn’t like to put him in so much mess but this is unavoidable until he realizes she is the one he loves and should settle down with. Arnav takes a minute to frame his next words.

“Don’t make me throw you out of my life forcibly, because that’s what I will do if you keep pestering me with your antics”
Khushi crosses her arms.
“Do you fear to give up, Arnav?” she asks. “Somewhere in your heart you are already convinced that if I keep doing all this, it won’t be long enough for you to accept that you love me too”
“Shut up” he roars with a dangerous evenness.

There is a knock at his cabin door which suddenly breaks their argument. Arnav instantly covers up his anger whereas Khushi puts up a fake smile on her face.

“There you are” Ayush Singh Raizada comes inside followed by Shashi Gupta.
“Good Morning Sir” Khushi greets him.
“Very Good morning dear” Ayush stands next to his son who is unable to understand what got his father so happy this morning.
“Dad, you had a meeting now”
“It got re-scheduled” Ayush replies. “But I am here for something more important than that”

“I will make a move then” Khushi decides to leave.
“No.. Wait. If you go whom will I share this good news with?” Ayush intervenes.
Arnav freezes. What good news?
“Good News?” Khushi repeats. She crosses her fingers hoping it has nothing to do with Arnav and Sheetal’s togetherness. Arnav notices her doing that and rolls his eyes. She has that habit from her childhood. This woman lives in some form of hallucination. She likes to process only those subjects which she thinks is good, rest all she shrugs and tries to avoid. But that’s not how the real world works. Life sucks sometimes when it mixes joy and pain together.

“Miss Khushi Gupta” Ayush takes her name with pride. “Your Software is approved by our team and you are soon going to be paid for it”

Khushi’s jaw drops. She is so excited to hear this. She had put all her brains in that one software because she knew it will benefit AR Group and also lessen some of Arnav’s tension.

“I .. .I cannot believe this”
“You should.. And you will once you get the cheque from us” Ayush replies “But.. we need some of your time. As you are the only one who knows the Software end to end, we want you to train our team upon its usage and also document how it works so that the team will have some reference”

Khushi shakes her head.

“I will do that” she replies and then looks at her father who cannot hold that smile fill with pride on his face. When she turns to Arnav, she finds him all cold and unhappy. She knows why. It means she will be seen for few more days in this Office and he will have to bear her.
“Arnav” Ayush turns to his Son. “You owe some praises to this woman. She just eased your headache”
Arnav fakes a smile.
“Not just praises Sir, I need a treat” Khushi interrupts.

Shashi is shocked how could she shamelessly ask for a treat that too from his Boss? Ayush takes it lightly though and laughs.

“Yes yes.. Why not? Arnav will give you a treat. A dinner treat. After all you are like a family now”

Arnav grits his teeth. Khushi is utmost happy to hear that. Ayush Sir really considers her as his family?
“I don’t think I have time for that Dad. But I will surely ask Pam to make some dinner arrangements for Miss Gupta”
Khushi frowns but Ayush doesn’t like Arnav’s idea.

“Arnav… No… you cannot shrug off like this. Khushi’s arrival to India is not less than a miracle for us. She owes a treat and you will give one to her. It’s my order”
Arnav fists his fingers. He can never deny his father’s commands.
“Shashi.. We should get going. What time is my next meeting?” Ayush walks to the exit and Shashi follows him.

Khushi takes a sigh of relief.

“I will wait for you to call me for the Dinner treat” she mumbles. “Bye, Arnav” she winks at him and heads out. Arnav stands there watching her leave and wonders how easily she manages to turn things in her favor. She is blessed with luck and intelligence, only if she can utilize it for something worthier and not waste it on him.

*********************

Gupta Apartment 

Khushi prepares the Dinner for her father today and serves it on the table when he is back home. Buaji is impressed by Khushi’s efforts and so is Shashi but he decides to teach her some important things now that she is going to be in AR Office for some time.

“What was the need to ask for a treat? You cannot be so informal Khushi. They are my Bosses” he asks
“Dad.. Didn’t you hear what Ayush Sir said, I am like their family now” she replies with a cheeky smile.
“There is difference in saying and believing that”
“Maybe. But nothing wrong happened, did it? And don’t worry, I won’t be asking a lavish dinner treat in some five-star hotel. I am even okay if Arnav takes me to a roadside dhaba. I wont mind”

Shashi keeps his spoon down.

“That’s exactly my point. Why are you so interested in making friendship with that family?”
Khushi stops eating. Her father is no less intelligent than her. After all she got all these sharp traits from him only. If he spies in her intentions like this, he will soon connect all dots and reach the conclusion.
“Dad. I know that family since my childhood. What is the problem if I befriend with them?”
“No” he strictly denies. “You wont do anything like that”

Buaji interrupts the duo.

“Enough of office discussions at the dinner table. Shashi, your daughter has cooked for you the first time and instead of appreciating that you are arguing with her?” Buaji shouts.

Shashi calms down. He looks at Khushi who pouts at him nervously. He eats the first morsel and a smile lights on his lips.
“It’s tasty. I remembered your mother. She used to put extra Dhania in the curry.”
His compliments gets a smile on Khushi’s face too.
“Buaji told me that too. I will make such a curry for you everyday”
“My pleasure” he replies and then feeds the next morsel to Khushi who happily eats. There is no happiness greater than this… being fed by your parents.. That shows how much they love you.. care for you.

Has Arnav ever felt the same in Shantivan from the Raizada Couple?

*********************

Shantivan 

“Aman, you are not helping” Arnav screams at his friend who is busy checking the restaurants on his tablet.
“This one is near our office. And it is specialized for Mexican food. I am sure she will like it”

Arnav snatches the tablet from him and throws it on the bed.

“Are you out of your mind?” Arnav snaps “I have called you to get me out of this trouble and you are finding places for me and her to dine?”
Aman rolls his eyes.
“So, are you willing to go against your father’s orders?” Aman asks.
“I don’t know” Arnav sits on the recliner.
“You have never denied Ayush Uncle for even the worst he has asked you to do. And this is just a dinner treat to someone. How will you deny?”
Arnav agrees to whatever Aman is explaining him. All these years he has obeyed to every orders his father gave, even if he didn’t feel like doing it by his will.

“I would say this is the best opportunity for you to take her out and make her understand to back off” Aman sits next to Arnav and pats his back.
‘You think I didn’t do it before?”
“You did.. But you have always barked at her. Girls don’t like it. They get more excited to go against you at such cases. You need to coolly explain her, don’t lose your mind. Just tell her wisely, without being hyper. I am sure she will understand”

Arnav hides his face in between his palms and exhales. He will try this too. He doesn’t get any positive vibes though but he will give it a try.

********************


AR Office 

Khushi starts training the team about the Software fundamentals and how it can be used to record and monitor all the Finances database of the Company. She even starts documenting all the work to ensure that she can prepare the A – Z knowledge book of the Software which the Company can use in her absence. She is in one such meeting after a week of her face to face conversation with Arnav Singh Raizada. She has not seen him much after that day as his cabin is on another floor and the training sessions are conducted at the lower level. She is also getting busy in sorting the Software minor fixes to ensure everything is covered as the Company Finance database soon starts getting loaded in the Software. But she still remembers his Dinner date is pending and she is going to wait for a day or two before reminding him again. She really cannot imagine what that date would be like. Though he will continue remaining grumpy but she will fix his mood somehow. She knows how to do that. The date is going to be memorable for him more than her. She wants to pour all the happiness over him which he wouldn’t have felt in all these years of his life. He is a simple man and so are his likes. Even after staying and being adopted by such a rich family, she knows his roots are always on the ground just like his choices. She is going to make that rendezvous happen between him and his simple living policies.

“Excuse me, Ma’am” a woman knocks the cubicle wall she is working in. “This is for you”
“Me?” Khushi takes the envelope. “Thank you”

The woman leaves and Khushi opens the envelope to read its contents.

‘Dinner reservation made at Sea Pearl Hotel for tonight. Be there by 08:00’ 


Khushi’s jaw drops in surprise. This note is from Arnav. He has made the reservation but this is not where she wanted the treat to happen. It’s a very posh hotel. She opens her Office messenger and checks if Arnav Singh Raizada is online. His status seems In a meeting but she decides to leave a message there.

‘Can I get the liberty to choose the venue?’ 

She sends the message and waits for him to read it. The cursor blinks as he starts typing the response.

‘I don’t think that’s necessary. It’s either here or nowhere. Choice is yours’ 

Khushi frowns. So typical of him. She has to agree or else he might cancel the entire plan.

‘Sea Pearl then, at 8:00 tonight. I will be there’ 

He doesn’t respond back to that. She leans back on her chair getting all dreamy and emotional. This is going to be her first date with the man himself. Wow!!!


To be Continued



NEXT PART



To Read He Loves Me Not from the Start. Click HERE