Chapter Nine

"Earth to Khushi" 

She looked up with a start to find a delightful sight of a grinning Akash. 

Khushi heaved a sigh of relief thanking her deity for this divine intervention. Now all the disturbing thoughts could take a back seat because one thing Khushi was sure about that Akash Singh Raizada could talk and a lot in that matter. So there would not be a scope for her to drift away to her memories.

And so Khushi and Akash sat chatting with cups of coffees, in the cafe, where Khushi has come after her encounter with ASR to calm her nerves and to process everything that just delivered between the two of them in his office.

**

The clock struck 6 making everyone aware the end of the office hour. One by one all started leaving. Khushi too started to pack up her staffs when she got a call in her intercom which had ASR written on it. Sighing she took the call and next minute went in his cabin with her pad and pen.

**

ASR who was been busy checking some files spoke without a sparing a glance towards Khushi, "I have a fashion show to attend in Mumbai tomorrow followed by a party, which is more or less business for me... I have asked Akash to book our tickets for tomorrow early morning flight; we are coming back day after. Take the ticket details from him." 

When there was no response, he lifted his gaze from his file to find Khushi looking at him with an unreadable expression.

"Is that fine?" He asked

"Yes. Fine for me" Khushi replied quickly but the scrutinising eyes of ASR did not miss the slight worry line on her forehead.

"I will go to Akash..." she started to leave.

"Yeh, and take a dress from AR studio for the evening, it's a cocktail party so choose accordingly." He went back to his file after shooting his orders.

"Not required ASR, I own a few dresses which can very well go with the theme..." came her tight answer.

Tough his eyebrows shot up with the plain decline of an offer to wear AR's exclusive creations from a girl, but he chose to not comment. 

Khushi left to collect her ticket.

AS soon she disappeared behind the door, a slow smirk appeared on his lips.     

             
**

Next morning Arnav waited in the VIP lounge of the airport after collecting his boarding pass. Khushi had informed that she would reach in a few minutes.

After 5 or so minutes ASR lifted his eyes from the newspaper he had been reading and that is when a sight caught his eyes.

Just outside the lounge, Khushi was bidding bye to a man who had been holding her in a bear hug just when he had looked. She took a step back to move inside and he got a clear view of the guy's face. He recognised the man to be the same guy from the evening performing with her. 

Though he was far from them to hear what they were saying to each other but he read the guy's lips as he mouthed 'take care' to her and with so much concern that he felt uneasy and looked away from the direction.

When Khushi finally came to him with her small backpack he took in her appearance, for the first time. She is wearing an olive green spaghetti top with dark blue shorts and a shrug casually draped over her torso. A pair of sports sandals adorning her feet. She had kept her hair free which was still a little damp after a shower. Her face was radiant with the natural morning glow that no costly make makeup could provide.

Well, look like she really had taken his advice seriously.

"Good Morning ASR"

"Good Morning"

She settled down just beside him waiting for their call speaking only work.

**

Once in the flight, Khushi had drowned herself in a book with the iPod plucked in her ear, leaving ASR to wonder can a girl be this quiet. Nothing matched from few of his past few experiences with women species with this girl.

Tearing his eyes from the laptop screen he gave a sidelong glance to her, sitting comfortably, dragging her legs up on the seat, immersed in the book, a pair of shiny silver rim glass resting on the bridge of her nose, she looked, Adorable Hot.

Well, you can't help it, can you? After seeing a girl all covered since you had known her you suddenly realise that she always had a gorgeous body with much gorgeous long slender legs, you are bound to hyperventilate. Yes, he is ASR and all, but finally a mere huMAN.

You can say that he has seen her that evening wearing a hot gown but in his defence, it was dark and her gown Erm... was quite long, unlike this shorts she was wearing now while the morning light played on her glistening skin.

isn't helping. he thought ruefully
2 hours flight is indeed a long journey!

**

He didn't know when he had dozed off but the announcement of slight turbulence outside from the captain and the seat belt request had made him jolt out of his light slumber. After buckling himself he looked on his right side where Khushi was right now sleeping soundly. She had tilted her back rest a little and had her face facing upward.  The specs were tucked on her head and the book was lying on her heaving bosom. The ear plugs were sill connected in her ears.

The first thought that crossed his mind was serene. The view was quite pleasing to disturb so he leant on her to buckle the belt, taking all the time in the world, with every iota of his concentration, taking in every feature of her face. It was oval in shape, radiant with a golden shine, adorned with big eyes with beautiful curved eyelids and long lashes, outlined by dark eyebrows. Her plump lips are a shade darker of her normal skin colour with a perfect cupid's bow. He sighed; the girl is beautiful, not out of the world but, surely demands an extra look back. He let his eyes roam on her features one last time before leaning back to his seat, after buckling her securely.

She stirred in her seat alarming him as he quickly went back to his laptop screen but she did not wake up rather turned her head to the other side and he cannot help but go back to watch her asleep. But this time, something caught his attention. 
A Scar, above her left eyebrow, little faint, not visible from afar and maybe usually got covered under her locks but while moving she unconsciously, had tucked them behind her ear making it visible for  him.
**
A soft rustling sound on his right had dragged his attention and then he had seen her, sitting under the old sacred fig tree, drawing something in the dust with the help of a twig. He started walking towards her and as if on cue she looked up. 

First she had scrunched her eyebrows but as she had recognised him a huge smile broke on her lips.

"Hi", 

"Hi", she stood up.

"What are you doing alone?" He went to stand before her.

She looked at the drawing once and then again back to him, "Nothing..."

"Hey thank you", he said genuinely.

She looked puzzled,"for what?"

"That other day you let me take the rose," he enlightened her smiling as realisation dawned upon her, making her big eyes grew bigger under the specs, and she again smiled broadly but said nothing more than oh'.

He glanced at the village scenery she had drawn and complimented her. 
She again smiled shyly in return.

This time he chuckled making her look at him confusedly...

"You know, your name should have been Smiley not Choti..."

"What?" she asked bewildered.

"Yes..." he drawled... "You have only smiled till now and spoke almost nothing since I have come."

She again smiled making him chuckle again.

"Will you have ber?"


"Ber??"

"Yes", she had taken out a few bers from the pocket of her pink frock which she was wearing and now held them before him urging him to take.

He gladly took them. 

They both sat on the rock where Choti had been sitting.

"I haven't seen you before, but you live in Khushal uncle and Suhasi auntie's place, how come?" 

"Because they are my ma - papa." She said plainly.

"Wow, but why didn't I see you before?" He asked surprised.

"Because I don't live here. I live with my grandparents in Indore. But I will be moving with my parents soon."

Arnav didn't miss how her eyes had shone with pure joy while she had said that she would be moving with her parents and wondered why this separation in the first place. Before he could voice his question the distant call of Suhasi aunty made her sprang up from the rock.

"Oh! Ma is calling, I need to go..."

"Let's go together, I will be going that way only."

"Okay." She smiled sweetly and started walking with a spring in her steps.

The girl is sweet, all Arnav could think at that moment. He took the cricket bat he left aside while he had sat with her eating ber and walked after her.

"So where do you go to play cricket?" She asked as he joined her side.

"There", Arnav pointed a direction with his index finger and Choti followed, "...we have a huge playground."

"Really, I would love to visit."

"Come tomorrow afternoon around 4, I will be there."

"But I don't know how to go there."

"Your brother knows. Ask him to accompany you."

"You mean Abhi"

Arnav nodded.

"Okay."

"So what is your name? I mean Choti can't be your real name."

She giggled, "No, Actually, my papa calls me Choti since I am born so my mother and everyone in my family, but my actual name... aah..."

She couldn't complete her sentence as her right leg hit a rock while she had her whole focus on Arnav and before he could support her she fell down on the hard rocky path. Arnav hurriedly helped her to get up but when he saw her face he froze. 

There was a nasty cut on left side of her temple and soon blood started oozing out. She didn't scream or shout but big fat tears flew down her cheek. 

"Hey, hey it's alright..." He had taken out his hanky and had pressed it on her cut to stop the blood.

"Come let me help you up, we are near your house, don't worry we will reach there soon..." he helped her up by the time the hanky had turned red but to his astonishment, the girl still didn't cry out loud. Though, he was thankful for that because if it would have been his Di, then the whole Lucknow would have known by now that she was injured.

He had noticed that there were several other scratches on her hands and knees but he decided to not to point out. She winced in pain as she stood on her feet. He held her by her shoulder taking most of her weight and walked slowly with her towards her home. The cricket bat lay forgotten on the road.

As soon they reached her house a whole ruckus started, although Suhasi aunty thanked him profusely but they all got busy to treat her wounds.
He bid his bye soon and left the place but not before sparing a last glance to the wounded girl who had been smiling at her brother even when she was in pain.

**

Arnav comes back to present as Khushi's eyelids flutter and he turned to his laptop screen, however, he sees nothing as his mind still wondered on that day 16 years back. He wondered, after so many years, he still remembered every detail of that incident starting from her appearance to their talks, till the fall. And what surprised him more that somehow he had related Khushi's scar to her. Maybe it is a coincidence that the place she got hurt, Khushi had the scar in the same place but he could not help but think why after so many years it had came back to him and through a person whom he had never met in past.

**

Khushi made herself comfortable on her seat and stared out of the window, aware of the constant gaze from her left...

Oh God, why doesn't he give it a rest?

She once again checked the time, it is still half an hour left from landing.
To drift her mind away from this unsettling feeling, as if getting observed under the microscope, she tried to put her mind into something else and her thought drove back to the conversation she had this morning with NK...


"Khush don't go." NK pleaded desperately, eyeing her last minute packing.

"I have to NK," Khushi smiled while she said so.

 "Why?" He sat down beside her luggage with a thud, defeated. 

"You tell me what I will tell him as a reason for not reaching the airport when I have confirmed him last night." She said as she continued packing her toiletries. 

"You shouldn't have agreed in the first place." NK threw his hand in the air in a pure display of his building frustration. 

Khushi took a look of her friend's concerned face and sighed before she spoke after sitting down beside him, "If I had a chance, I wouldn't have but it is in my job criteria. If my boss wants I have to follow him for work." 


NK exhaled loudly, "you do understand that you are getting yourself in trouble."

Khushi reached to put a consoling hand on his shoulder and said soothingly, "NK don't worry I will be fine... it is just 2 days trip and most of the time I will be  indoor so chances of them to see  me is very less."

"I hope so... I hope so." He heaved a sigh shaking his head.

"Hey NK, give me a hug buddy and please stop worrying I will be fine. I have a green belt in martial arts you know that right?" she winked as she said  that. 

NK understands her attempt to lighten his mood and responded chuckling," yes baby I know but I don't know if it will help when the real deal occurs."

Khushi had attempted once again to relieve her friend but in that moment La had walked in shutting their little discussion. And the look on NK's face in the airport had made her realise that he will not be at ease until he sees her back safe and sound. And she herself knew that her brave face was a faced in front of her friend because deep down she was apprehensive too about her small trip to Mumbai.

Though 5 months have passed and the thing they want was not with her anymore but the danger is still lurking there somewhere...

**

Arnav had noticed her lost look and also that she had appeared anxious but he had thought not to question her. The last conversation was still fresh in his mind and one thing he was sure about Khushi Gupta, that she did not like people invading her personal space.

He could not help but think how similar they were in this matter, however, he cannot promise her this privacy for too long...

**


The moment they stepped into the airport a pair of bodyguards appeared from nowhere beside them and directed them towards a waiting Jaguar. There they met with Mathur, AR's Mumbai branch manager. After the formal pleasantries, they settled in the car, Khushi and ASR in the back seat and Mathur in the passenger. The two guards followed them in another car behind.

Although Arnav discussed their meeting in few hours, in the whole journey to the hotel, with his manager but again the lost look of his secretary did not get unnoticed by him.

As they entered the 5-star hotel, ASR and Khushi made their way to their respective rooms promising to meet Mathur in one of the meeting rooms in an hour, where the meeting was supposed to happen.

**

Khushi entered her room which was on the same floor, and next to  ASR's. She roamed her eyes around the room and marvels the luxury it had to offer. But most attracting part of the room was the balcony overlooking the sea. As soon she opened the sliding glass door of the balcony, a gush of wind washed over her, giving her a feel of nostalgia.

*

I can't believe bro... We are in Mumbai... finally... Wow. 

*

Hey don't worry brother, we will be fine, this is your big chance. You must Go.

*

Ma he needs you there. 

But how can I leave you all alone here and go?

Oh Ma please, don't be so dramatic... oh ok don't get so worked up, I won't say that again but listen to me Ma, I can take care of myself you know that, right. And I won't be alone here, NK will not let me be if I want also, you know that too, So Please...

*sigh* Okay...

*Grin* *mutter* Puff! Too much work...

*

NK don't worry yaar, it's just a matter of few days and I will soon follow. So chill and smile.

*

Yes, Ma I am fine and tell this to my sweet, little, innocent brother too or else he will lose his hairs worrying *giggle* Ahh!

What happened beta?

Nothing Ma, someone was just running like mad.

Are you okay?

Yes Ma... *mutter* what's this...

What?

Nothing Ma, I can see an auto, I will call you later, bye...

*

*BOOM*

*

You have to do this, please.

But how can I...

Please beta I have no one to ask Please *choke*


OK I WILL...

*
*running* *huffing* 

Kaha gayi?

Pata nehi...

Thik hai iss taraf dekhte hai

*Sigh out loud*

*

NK I am coming there...

What? But...

Not now NK... I will answer all your questions once I reach there...

When are you coming?

Not sure but soon... once I reach there I will contact your office...

Why office? I will come to pick you...

No NK...just listen to me this once...

*Ring*

The ring of her cell brought Khushi back to the present...

"Hello ASR."